Species Returned
by FireOpal
Summary: Sequel to 'Species' Set post DD, preBoomtown. When Rose is taken seriously ill, the Doctor and Jack have to find out what it is, and how to help. But what if it was something that could not only change their lives, but change worlds, the very universe?
1. Chapter 1

**FireOpal Comments:- **Right, before I begin, I want you all to know that the title of this piece is annoying, and therefore I resorted to the almost cra-movie style of naming things. I spent **hours** thinking of this, so no complaints.  
I know that several people stated quite clearly that "I reckon that's perfect on its own" and "Please keep it on it's own, doing a sequel would kill such a masterpiece!" But the bug caught me, and I liked it. If you enjoyed 'Species' and do not wish to read the sequel, I cannot and will not inflict it upon you, but I think this will be quite good!  
Dedicated to Hana AKA EbonyBeach, because she's amazing. 'Nuff said.

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**Chapter One.**

From Last Time

_DNA strands merging… _

… _**New life form being created…**_

Now the adventure continues...

The first sign Rose had, about a week after their newest arrival's rescue mission, was the headaches.

OK, at first Rose put it down to the loud and arrogant tones of their new companion, 'Captain' Jack Harkness. She took paracetamol, she drank cups of tea, she went for discreet 'lie-down's. The Doctor didn't notice – was too busy tinkering and ruffling his feather's with the new boy. Well at least he saved the day, this new one, instead of leaving her to the Daleks. Shame he wouldn't, or couldn't see that.

But anyway: that was entirely beside the point, especially, she noted, as the pains seemed to be getting worse. Gradually, but surely, rising unexpectedly in her temples and reaching down behind her eyes to grip her brain in a wringer (or so it felt).

Together, they walked on foreign planets made of ice, where the waves and foam were continually frozen. They sat beneath three suns – three! Jack eased up, opened up. Laughed more, smiled truly, and stopped strutting around the place like he was some sort of king. But then, that could've been something to do with the TARDIS' initial reaction (locking him out of the only spare bedroom), and the Doctor's glares, as opposed to an actual change in character.

But it was on Ceravarious Three, a planet on the outer rim of the Sirius solar system, that they first noticed. Well, she would've been surprised if they hadn't. The three of them, had, yet again had been taken captive by the local tyrant/freedom fighters/disgruntled shopkeepers. She had lost count as to which. Sat in a semi-lit cell, each of them sat, taking a corner to themselves, and occasionally lifting their eyes to reassure themselves that the other two were there. If the Doctor glanced more at Rose than at Jack, then that was probably because she was the one in most danger, being the female. The insectoid race of Ceravarious Three was rather primitive in comparison to other races, and prized their beautiful females higher than their currency.

Rose felt the on-coming headache and mentally rolled her eyes. Talk about bad timing. As the first icy fingers stabbed through her skull, she winced, and raised a hand to rub her temple gently, trying to relieve the pain.

"Rose?" the Doctor was beside her in an instant, thankfully keeping his voice low, even if his concern was obvious. Jack raised his head from his arms, his blue eyes anxious.

"Nah, I'm fine." His gentle fingers moved hers from her forehead, and probed the skin carefully. "Honest, just a headache." She grimaced again involuntarily as the pain increased, and closed her eyes.

"That doesn't look like just a headache, even from here." Jack said softly, his accent thick.

"No. You haven't eaten anything funny recently?" the Doctor said seriously, sliding his fingers down to her neck, checking her pulse.

"What, other than your cooking?" Rose joked weakly. "Nah. Not after that time with the, wossisname… the thing that was a sort of yucky blue and neither of you ate…"

"Bajebian Mothma," Jack put in, smiling slightly to reassure her, and moving slowly across the floor.

"Your pulse is fine. Feel sick, anything else?" the Doctor said, ignoring the joke.

"Nah, I told you – just a headache."

"Hmmm." The tall alien thought deeply for a second, then shrugged off his jacket. Rose, opening her eyes slightly, saw the movement.

"Oi, I'm not sick…"

"I did not save you from the Autons, megalomaniac trampolines and Raxacoricofallapatorians just to have you get a cold. Imagine what your mum would do." He gently positioned the now unresisting blonde into a more relaxed position, placing the rolled up jacket beneath her head to cushion it from the stone floor. "Try and get some rest."

"Doctor…" Rose said sleepily, her eyes flittering shut.

"Go on Rosie, sleep." Jack said tenderly, shooting the other man a serious look. Within a few minutes, she was asleep, snoring lightly, the only sign of the earlier pain in a slight frown marring her forehead. The Doctor motioned for Jack to follow him, and the two crept as far to the other end of the cell as they could to ensure their talk wouldn't disturb her.

"So, what's up? That was no headache." Jack said, sitting cross-legged while the taller man crouched, his elbows on his knees.

"I'm not sure. I could feel a lot of tension in her temple, and her pulse was just slightly faster than normal, nothing untoward. I'm at a loss, especially without the TARDIS."

"How could she help?" Jack asked. "I mean, it's a great ship an' all, but-"

"I could take a blood sample and run it through the database. The old girl's used to this kind of thing. But here," he gestured around at the cell, "here I'm useless." His gaze turned to the door, and he glowered for a second. "Damned revolutions. I thought we'd be fine, but the Time War must've messed up their timeline too."

"It's not your fault." Jack said, resting a comforting arm on the Doctor's arm.

"Rose is my responsibility." The Doctor said stubbornly, turning his gaze back onto the ex-Time Agent. "And I'm going to get you both out of here."

Four hours later, a guard came to the door, its front pincers clicking with menace and delight.

"Come with me," it said, showing a long, agile tongue, with which it cleaned a tarnished spot on its exoskeleton.

Getting up from his position on the floor, where he had sat for the best part of three hours, occasionally getting up to check on Rose, the Doctor glanced at Jack. The other man was getting up slowly, placing himself between the thing and Rose almost subconsciously. The Doctor crossed to Rose, who was still sleeping, and shook her awake. Luckily, the migraine from earlier had descended into a dull ache, and, wearily, she sat up.

"Come!" the insect commanded impatiently, earning a glare from the two overprotective males. Helping Rose to her feet, he passed her over to Jack, who ignored her attempts to swat him away, and took her arm.

"You're staying with me, Rosie." He said seriously, and Rose was tempted to roll her eyes. However, she stopped herself doing so, as just then the Doctor turned, his blue green eyes as serious as she had ever seen them. He had that expression on his face, the same one as when they where both in 10 Downing Street, as if he was trying to tell her something in his intense gaze.

_I will get you out of here._

Frowning slightly as she wondered where that thought had come from, she watched the Doctor turn swiftly back to their captor.

"Right," he said with false cheerfulness so weak you could push it over with a feather. "Take us to your leader, and lets get this whole mess sorted out." The overgrown brown grasshopper narrowed its faceted eyes at him, and its tentacles quivered.

"Get going." It growled, gesturing with its pincers to the door, butting the Doctor's torso with the blunt end so forcefully that he fell forwards slightly.

"Hey!" Rose exclaimed, trying to move forwards, but was restrained by Jack.

"Not now." He whispered quickly in her ear, reinforced when the Doctor half-turned, quelling her with a firm gaze. Glaring at the towering alien, Rose was escorted out of the room by Jack, who seemed highly reluctant to let go of her arm. The creature followed, making sure they kept pace and went in the right direction, its metallic pincers too large a threat to ignore.

They walked in silence, the Doctor marginally in front, leading the way down the barely-lit passage, his gaze sweeping over the walls, examining the architecture and technology with an experienced eye. Strange, dimly-lit panels were embedded every so often into the organic-looking walls, presumably some sort of computer, Rose thought. Though she was surprised to see few doors, and fewer linking corridors crossing their path as they strode on, their direction barely altering.

Presently, the corridors became lighter, the wall computers more complex, and even a few official looking Cervarians, who stared as they came past. However, when a rather small and obviously infantile insect stopped and looked at them with wide eyes, tentacles behind its back in a awed posture. Rose half-smiled, despite their situation, and waved, hoping it might have some sort of positive effect. The creature cocked its head at her, and tenuously waved a feeler back in a similar gesture.

Suddenly, the guard noticed them. It growled incomprehensibly, and the smaller Cervarian cowered, before running off without a backward glance.

"Keep moving!" it said to them, and Rose glared at it again, before turning to face in front of her, her brown eyes stormy. Really, this was not improving her mood.

Finally, just when Rose's feet where beginning to protest, despite the extra-comfy running-away trainers she had on, they stopped. To their left stood a large set of metal double doors, with a strange auburn net-like framework tracing across it. The effect was like someone had taken a large brown plastic spider's web and glued it onto the doors, presumably as decoration. There was another guard standing at the doors, looking, to Rose, practically identical to the one that had led them there.

"Prisoners to see the Mwugab." The gaoler stated, gesturing at the three humanoids. The doorman nodded, turned around and pressed a panel with the end of his feeler. The two doors opened slowly inwards, and the first Cervarian prodded them through into a large open-plan room.

It was large, impressively so – both tall and wide. Rose felt her eyes drawn upwards as soon as she entered, and her eyes opened wide as she surveyed the space above her. All around the top of the room, and thriving balcony ran, overflowing with chittering and chattering Cervarians, their pincers scraping against each other and their vocal chords producing a range of noises even the TARDIS had difficulty translating for her. When she looked down, she saw that Jack was leaning gently on her arm, trying to pull her forwards. Giving him an apologetic glance, she moved to stand beside him and the Doctor in the centre of the rectangular room, right in front of a raised platform on which sat the smallest and oldest-looking of all she had seen so far. Judging by the revered glances and the way they were paraded in front of it, this was some sort of leader. After a few short minutes, it bent forwards slightly and muttered something to a younger, obviously attending insectoid, who walked forwards as pompously as a creature can manage with four legs, menacing pincers and eyes in every direction.

"The Mwugab asks for silence!" It called in a grating voice, which effectively silenced the room from loud chatter to the level that Rose could suddenly hear her heart beating in her ears. There was a pause while the announcer stood back, and the elderly Mwugab leant forwards as if to peer at them.

"These are the prisoners?" it asked, its voice surprisingly strong for one so small and weak-looking.

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor interjected brightly. "And this is-"

"Silence! Silence in the presence of the Mwugab!" The pompous announcer shouted, stalking forwards again.

"Leave them be, Faladeh. I wish to hear them speak." The Mwugab said reprovingly.

"Thanks." The Doctor said, with a grin. "Anyway, as I was saying, I'm the Doctor and these are my companions, Jack Harkness and Rose Tyler." Jack and Rose smiled respectively.

"And what is your business on our planet?" the elderly Cervarian inquired.

"My lady, it is obvious! These are Petatoris spies, come to trade secrets in our long-standing war with the religious scum!" the hotheaded announcer cried, anger flashing across its many faceted eyes.

"Calm yourself Faladeh, or your presence will not be required." The leader retorted sharply. "Continue, Doctor."

"Thanks." The Doctor repeated, nodding his head at the leader, who inclined its own head in response. "We're just tourists, you know – see the universe sort of thing. But we got a bit lost and ended up here." He spread his arms wide in gesture. "If you would just let us go, we won't give you any trouble."

"But you were in the main security compound; only those with security clearance can enter there." The leader pointed out calmly, eyeing the Doctor seriously. He grinned sheepishly.

"Well, my ship isn't that accurate to be honest. Tends to get lost a lot. We didn't even know where we were until your guards came along and stunned us."

"Its true." Jack put in, eager to back up the story. The elderly Cervarian's gaze switched thoughtfully to him for a few seconds, then to Rose, and back to the Doctor.

"What form does your ship take? Is it something to do with the strange blue box we confiscated?"

"You found it! Great!" the Doctor said. "That's my TARDIS – Time And Relative Dimension In Space. Where is she, can I see her?"

"That is your craft?" another, less elderly Cervarian piped up from the sidelines. "What is it made out of? We cannot identify the substances."

"Yeah, that's my ship. She's made of wood." The Doctor said helpfully, and the creature nodded, obviously thinking this through.

"You cannot say you believe these spies, these outlanders!" Faladeh shouted scornfully, removing itself from where it had crept against the wall. "They were found in the top security vault with a strange blue box they claim is their ship, and the body of Oskaa!" Rose closed her eyes, sighing to herself. Really, this was definitely getting old. Sure, go round the universe; see planets and times she could only imagine, save the world, get trapped in metaphorical red tape.

Her headache was coming back, swiftly edging up behind her eyes. She tried to ignore it, more important things were happening, but it refused to go away. The leader-thing was yelling again, some other Cervarians were shouting too, two trying to restrain Faladeh, others trying to help him. Her vision was dimming at the edges, joined by a sudden kick of nausea to her stomach, which made her legs go limp and sent her crashing to the floor. The last thing she remembered was clutching Jack's arm as he tried to hold her sudden weight, and the Doctor turning at his call, blue eyes shocked. Then she was falling into blackness, not feeling the hard floor as she collapsed onto it.

**Reviews will be adored. Reviewers will be hugged and treated to a new chapter.**

**Responses to 'Species' reviews:**

**Hana (EbonyBeach) - **No Dr/Rose babies, but more fun soon!

**Kat - **I quite agree - bring back the TimeLords!

**Enelya Aldarion - **Yup! Here it is, hope you like it...

**Ayiries - **No idea if you're reading this, but thanks for reviewing!

**Vampirehelsing - **Hello again! Hope you like this.

**Avelynn Tame - **If you're reading, I'd love to hear your opinion! Glad you liked 'Species'.

**Jillybean - **Hi, and thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**F/O:-** Hello everyone! This chapter is dedicated to my amazing reviewers, belongs to the BBC, and was written by me. It's relatively short, but when I was splitting it into chapters, this was a sensible ending point. My idiom comes true - more reviews faster updates!

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**Chapter Two.**

"They were found in the top security vault with a strange blue box they claim is their ship, and the body of Oskaa!" The Doctor groaned to himself. He loved the TARDIS, he really did, but her persistent knack of getting them into sticky situations was wearing thin. He was certain that the entire incident with Tegan was more because she liked the young girl than because she was actually malfunctioning. But that was four lifetimes ago now, back when Gallifrey was still there…

Faladeh was moving towards them, intent on proving their guilt, by hook or by crook, despite the elderly leader's calls for him to stop. Two bodyguards rushed forwards and held him, but by then his supporters were calling from the stands, and a full-scale riot was in the making. He considered backing away and making a run for it, but, judging by the sheer amount of Cervarians in the room, that would be near impossible.

"Doctor!" Jack called suddenly and frantically from behind him, and he swirled round, just in time to see Rose fall to the floor, her face ashen white, Jack clutching her to stop her from falling. He was immediately by her side, lifting her from the hard floor and moving her head onto his lap, linking eyes with Jack briefly as he reached for her forehead to check her temperature.

"What happened?" he said quickly. Jack looked down at the blonde girl hopelessly, his face devoid of the usual fluent charm.

"I don't know, she just collapsed – no warning." He glanced at the furore behind them, which was gradually calming, then back at the Doctor. "Think it's connected to earlier?"

"You bet." Her skin was cold, clammy, and her heart rate was fast. They needed to get her out of here, and now.

"Doctor!" a voice called, and his head snapped round, ready to glare at any person who interrupted, stopping as the elderly Cervarian approached slowly, its features expressing concern. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes, it's Rose, she's sick." He said shortly, shrugging off his jacket once again to wrap it around her smaller form.

"Can we help?" The Doctor paused, thinking as he rearranged the item of clothing. Then he looked up and fixed the other's eyes.

"I need my ship." He said simply, searching its face intently. It nodded, and then stared hard at the three of them in turn, as if trying to read their thoughts, its gaze finally resting on Rose.

"I would be lying if I said that I entirely trust you Doctor."

"And I would be lying if I said the same." The Doctor replied in a low tone. The Cervarian nodded appraisingly, and refolded its pincers to give it time to gather its thoughts.

"You have done us no harm." It finally said. "I will see it that you will get to your ship. However, this one," it pointed at Jack, "will have to remain, to convince the others of your trustworthiness."

"I need Jack." The Doctor said quickly, wondering if he was pushing his luck. If it had eyebrows, it would've raised one.

"Very well. This is not a good time for you to be here, Doctor. I wish you well on your way." With that, it stepped back, and gestured for a different Cervarian to come over.

"Take the Doctor and the other two to their ship. The female requires medical assistance." It said briskly. The insect nodded, and Jack quickly picked up Rose carefully. When the Doctor semi-glared at him, he just replied in an undertone,

"You still need to get us out of here, and if we get in a sticky situation, you're definitely more use than I am."

The escort led them out of the hall unobtrusively as the leader tried to reassemble order, and took them down a separate corridor. Luckily, the main throne room was quite close to the scientific research laboratories (or the equivalent), so they didn't have to walk far. This insect seemed more loyal to the elder and kinder to its three guests than the others, and even bowed low when the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS door, ushering Jack inside quickly.

"Thank you. To you and the Mwugab." He said, turning back, before entering the Police Box and shutting the door. Within minutes, a whirring sound emitted from deep within, vibrating the air into a brisk wind, the top light winking as it faded from space and time.

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On the TARDIS, the Doctor manically flicked switches and pumped away at the bicycle pump, pleading desperately with the machine. It exuded sympathy to his partially telepathic mind, and worked quickly, taking them to the safety of the time-space vortex. Then he dashed off after Jack, patting the console in thanks before he left and raced down to the infirmary.

Jack was just laying her on the bed as he entered, the other man's face reflecting the pain and worry he felt gnawing at his chest.

"What can I do?" he said, stepping back as the Doctor stalked forwards.

"I need some of that equipment," he waved at a desk over the other side of the room, littered with all sorts of alien artefacts. "Pass me the small red one, with the little buttons." Moving quickly over to the tabletop, Jack found the appropriate item, and tossed it over at the Doctor, who caught it deftly.

"This should regulate her pulse better." He explained, fixing it gently to her wrist with soft straps, and keying in a few numbers. "I need the Blood Analyser; that's the larger silver one." Jack found it underneath a selection of what appeared to be non-stick bandages, and walked across, passing it over. The Doctor quickly picked up her limp hand, and gently pressed a finger onto a scanner, which shone white, then faded as it took a blood sample without even breaking the skin.

"I'm just gonna feed this into the database," the Doctor said by way of explanation as he hurried over to a largish computer console, Jack trailing behind him. Jamming the device into a slot that looked like it had been cannibalised for this purpose, the Doctor fiddled with the computer, before nodding as it started to analyse the blood.

"And now we wait." He said, deflating slightly. He turned to glance at Rose's still form, worry etched on his features.

"She'll be fine." Jack said unconvincingly, patting the Doctor carefully on the shoulder, and looking him in the eyes. Looking back over at Rose, he reinforced that thought mentally to himself. She _would_ be fine. Making a quick and rather unwanted decision, he turned back to the other man. "You stay with her, I could do with a break and some food. Unless you…?" he trailed off hopelessly as the Doctor shook his head.

"Thanks Jack." He said as the man left, and the Time Agent nodded in response. Moving a chair next to the soft infirmary bed, he sat down, resting his elbows on his knees, and, after a few moments, took Rose's unresponsive hand in both of his. And he waited.

* * *

Several hours later, a small light started to flash on the console, accompanied by an unassuming but repetitive blip. The Doctor, lost in a myriad of thoughts that drifted across his conscious, and the usual vibrant knowledge of time and space that threaded through his subconscious, heard it vaguely, and resurfaced. Within a few seconds, he cleared his head enough to think, and stood, walking stony faced to the console. Tapping a few keys that would print out the results into hardcopy, he waited impatiently as it whirred into life, glancing over at Rose again. She hadn't moved at all, except to breathe, her chest moving gently up and down, and her pulse thudding into the hand that had clasped it. Her skin was pale, and looked as clammy as before, slight moisture glistening on her cheekbones.

When the sheet of paper finally inserted itself into his waiting hand, he practically tore it out of the machine and read it swiftly. What he saw made his haggard face pale further, and he dropped it from now nerveless fingers. The thin recycled paper fluttered to the ground and lay there on the cold floor as he walked off.

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Jack was just making his way to the infirmary, feeling slightly more rested now than he had earlier. That short nap and meal, while punctuated by his worries over Rose and the persistent feeling he should be by her side, was definitely good for him. He wondered hopelessly if the Doctor had got any rest, or would do until Rose woke up. Probably not. Despite the fact that the man was Gallifreyan, he still needed some sleep Jack knew, though when or where the man slept he had no idea. It could have been weeks since the old man had got any shuteye. And he definitely wasn't likely to get any soon.

He entered the infirmary deep in thought, not noticing the missing presence of the Doctor. When he eventually noticed, he glanced around in concern, his sharp eyes spotting the paper lying forlorn on the floor. Picking it up with deft fingers, he walked over and sat down beside Rose's bed, wondering what was going on. His eyes scanned the paper in confusion, before he glanced up at Rose. It couldn't be… that was impossible.

Relying on the fact that she wasn't going to get any better or worse for the moment, he dashed out of the room, paper clasped in his fingers, intent on finding the Doctor.

Luckily for Jack, the TARDIS was feeling helpful, and rearranged the rooms and corridors as much as she could to aid the young companions flight. Down corridors, looking desperately in rooms, banging doors and cursing in the many languages he knew.

He finally found the reclusive Doctor, in, of all places, the garden. He had only been in once, during Rose's lightening-stop tour a few days after he'd first arrived, in which he'd been primarily warned against a certain unused bathroom, the third kitchen and a man-eating plant called George.

He was in the deepest part of the garden, and the most intricate. Lush plants grew everywhere, and, somehow, there was sky. At the moment, the TARDIS had obviously decided it was night time, and had adorned the, ceiling? Sky? With small twinkling diamonds, in what appeared to be Earth's constellations. The Doctor, however, seemed oblivious to this, and stood hunched over a delicate wooden trellis fence, his head bowed, bony arms resting on the top rail.

"Doctor?" Jack called, and the other man glanced round to look at him, then returned his staring into space, his eyes dark. "Doctor, what's going on?"

"It's impossible." The old Gallifreyan said, mostly to himself. Jack walked cautiously forwards, confused.

"What's impossible? Doctor?" There was a short, tense silence, and then the Doctor whirled round, uncommon moisture in his eyes.

"How can this have happened?" he half-shouted, then quieted slightly. "It's killing her." A shiver ran down Jack's spine.

"Doctor," he said carefully. "You're not making any sense." For the first time, he looked up, and their eyes locked. The untold pain and emotion in the usually manic/steely blue green eyes was almost enough to physically move the Time Agent.

"You've seen the results." It wasn't a question, and Jack's eyes flicked to the piece of paper still clenched in his hand.

"Yes, but this is impossible!" He said, unconsciously repeating the Doctor's earlier sentiment. "This says her DNA's changing, and to something I've never seen before!" He glanced at the paper to refresh his memory, then tapped it for emphasis. "For God's sake, this says that even her cells are changing, mutating somehow!" The Doctor's breath hitched, almost as if Jack's sudden announcement was a shock to him, and his face tightened.

"I know." He said eventually, suddenly looking very vulnerable without his jacket. He glanced away, into space, obviously thinking and assembling his thoughts. He sighed, and looked back to Jack, his face carefully arranged into his usual expression. "First of all I think we need to find out what's going on. I've got some more equipment we can set up, see what else's wrong." Jack nodded; strangely reassured by the calm way the older man took over, and slightly disturbed the way he just accepted it. Shaking it off, he followed the Doctor slowly out of the garden, pushing all thoughts but Rose's welfare out of his head. Pondering on his newfound change of character could be done later, right now the 21st Century Londoner needed them both, and judging by the results still clenched in his fist, she needed them now.

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**Review Responses**

SlayerGirl, AN, bookz, earthdrago, Avelynn Tame, Sheela, Dreyan, porkpie, Acid Lee, Akisame15, Oni Wolda, Laseri, golwenadaneth, EbonyBeach, YamiKITG. Thanks to you all! This chapter is dedicated to you, who have managed in a very short space of time to make this my third-most-reviewed story in existence, IN ONE SINGLE CHAPTER! Woohoo!

**Special Responses:**

**Avelynn Tame – **Thank you for coming back! I'm so glad I managed to entice all you 'Species' readers back for a second round, and I can assure you, it will continue! So far I'm thinking at least 4 chapters, but every time I write, it gets longer… I just want to say that I think 'Species' may have been slightly misleading, in some aspects. No babies will be involved in the near future.

**Sheela – **Have a cookie! I really love reviews like this, who point out what I'm doing right (nothing against criticism, but I need _something_ occasionally). Well done, but I'm not letting out any of my plot just yet! Well, not until you read it…


	3. Chapter 3

**FireOpal - **Me again! Beta'ed by Hana, thanks to you all! BBC owns DW. Check out my LJ. This chapter wins the 'FireOpal Award for Most Stunning CliffHanger in DW fanfiction' (judging by Hana's reaction).

**Reviews. **

**Lots of thanks to Ruth, Cloudhaven94, Kerry, morph, earthdrago, Becsy Lexi, porkpie, Sheela, golwenadaneth, Akisame15, YamiKITG.  
****golwenadaneth - **Thanks very much, I love hearing from you peeps! And you love me? Wow. And as for the plot, read this first - it contains the mysterious answers!  
**Sheela - **Yes, sorry bout the poor Cervarians. I liked them too, but I wanted to start this off-TARDIS, and I wanted to try my hand at creating a new species (haha). I love honest feedback, and I try to give it in return (which can piss off my friends, sadly), so feel free to say what you like/don't like or whatever, as long as it isn't unnecessary evilness. This was good! I have a feeling the Cervarians may return in another fic, even if, good god, there's a sequel to this! I will write more explosions in next time, just for you! You win the 'Best Review' award so far (must think of prize... hmm.) Enjoy!

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**Chapter Three.**

Blackness, so deep and empty that she couldn't even remember anything else.

Cold; tendrils that ran down her sides and arms and skin, and yet underneath, in her blood.

Silence; making her ears pound in memory of vibrations that passes along messages, and close and so vast all at once.

Loneliness; the remembrance of forgotten voices, empty people with no faces.

And then there was light. Bright shining light that cut through her mind world, blasting her senses and making her eyes screw up tightly in sudden pain. Synapses flashed uncomfortably, bringing the dull thud of headache and sounds that washed over her ears.

"…all right… try… just put on…" The odd word started to become recognisable in the sounds she could now distinguish into voices and humming and something mechanical. Moaning involuntarily, she tried fruitlessly to lift her hands to cover her eyes and ears, to stop the pain and noise, but found her body strangely heavy and unresponsive.

"…Rose?" that voice she recognised, old and young, with that daft and comfortable Northern accent. Swallowing with a dry mouth, she opened her mouth and tried to speak.

"D-"

"Shh, Rose. Its OK." Something metallic clattered. "Try not to talk for a minute." She happily obeyed the order, as just that second, her mind decided to blast her last memories on her, and that rather took up a few minutes. After that time, and her brain was in some form of order, she tried the next task – opening her eyes.

Wrenching them open, she looked around blearily and quickly recognised her surroundings in the TARDIS infirmary before two faces came into view – one stoically blank, the other worried and not-quite covering it.

"Hey," Jack said, attempting a smile. Now she knew it was bad, if Jack's self-imposed mask was slipping this badly. The Doctor moved back, obviously satisfied she was awake, and continued tinkering with some small device. Licking her cracked lips, she tried again.

"Wha-what's going on?" she croaked, sitting up on her elbows only by sheer force of will. Thankfully, Jack quickly saw her dilemma and grabbed a cup full of water from where it sat on a workstation, and, ignoring her attempts, sat her up properly and helped her drink it, acting rather, Rose thought, like a mother hen. The cool liquid slipped down her throat like nectar, feeling so good she could've sung. Finally the cup was finished, and the Doctor finished tinkering, having ignored the question. If Rose had seen the twitch in his face as she asked, she might've been even more worried, but she hadn't, and so repeated the question, catching Jack in her forceful gaze.

"You just fainted, that's all." He said jovially, his American-sounding accent thick as ever. "Be right as rain in no time." Her body, however, begged to differ. Suddenly noticing a strange weight on her arm, she lifted it and looked at it curiously. It was strapped onto her wrist tightly – red with little buttons.

"What the-"

"One sec," the Doctor interrupted, slamming the device he had been cobbling back together, the bindings held with what looked suspiciously like duct tape. He stepped forwards, the device held in one hand. "I just want to scan you with this, just to make sure." She nodded, and watched interestedly as he waved the box slowly along her, a little light shining over the various parts of her anatomy. He seemed to pause at her head, heart and stomach, but it was over in a matter of minutes, and he moved off quickly, leaving Jack behind with the increasingly confused and annoyed Rose.

"Jack, what the hell's going on? What's this?" she waved the wrist device under his nose, and he squirmed uncomfortably.

"Um," he said eventually. "It's just to make sure, you know. In case anything went wrong."

"And what went wrong?" Rose said, gritting her teeth. "I just remember fainting in that hall place."

"Yeah, that was it." Jack replied unconvincingly. Suddenly, he seemed struck by an idea. "I'll just go and get you something to eat." He seemed almost gleeful as he passed the Doctor, leaving the alien to deal with the hot-headed teenager.

"Doctor…?" she said, trying to attract his attention.

"Hmm-mmm?" he replied, feigning concentration. If he wasn't busy pretending to be busy, and wasn't so worried about the happily-now-conscious earthling on the bed, he would be racing down the corridor to throttle Jack for leaving him alone with her.

"I know when you're fakin' it you know." She stated, rolling her eyes. "Look, I've been unconscious for god knows how long, my head hurts, I've got a weird device on my wrist and that never means anything good, so tell me what the hell is going on!" He looked up finally, and their eyes met. Despite the usual calm mask that he had placed over his emotions, she could see something in his eyes that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.

"We don't know." He said quietly, moving towards the bed. "How long have you had the headaches?" The question seemingly came out of the blue, and her brow wrinkled even as she answered the question.

"Er, ages." His left eyebrow rose.

"Care to be more specific?"

"Well," she said, thinking, "It must've been before that thing with the ice planet… I think it must've been since, yes, since Jack joined us. It was just when I was showing him round." She looked up at the Doctor, who's brow furrowed deeply.

"Didn't eat anything dodgy there did you?"

"Eat?" she laughed. "Didn't have time. Too busy running away from gas-mask wearing people."

"And dancing with rogue Time Agents." He said quickly, smirking. Rose reached out and slapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"It was better than what you were doing – you call that dancing?"

"We've been over that." He pointed out. Then his eyes went distant.

"Didn't cut yourself?"

"The worst was that rope burn those little robots repaired." She replied, still wondering what he was thinking.

"Nanogenes." He corrected absently.

"Yeah, them." Rose said, nodding slightly, then wincing as her headache returned. "Hey, Doc, you don't have anything for this do you?" she gestured to her head, and he was suddenly right next to her, resting cool fingers against her skin, his eyes serious.

"So soon?" he seemed to be saying to himself as he gently probed her skull. She reached up with one hand and wrapped it around his, lowering it from her head.

"Doctor," she said seriously, looking into his eyes. "What's happening to me?" He faltered, then decided that maybe honesty was a good policy.

"You're changing. We don't know how, but you are."

"Changing? What do you mean,_ you don't know how_?" He sighed, and stood up from where he had been perching on the edge of the bed.

"I've only seen a blood sample, the scans I just took will tell for sure…" he stayed turned away from her, his shoulders slumped.

"Your DNA itself is changing. Jack didn't recognise the multi-strands, but then he couldn't possibly. That DNA doesn't even exist anymore. Or it isn't supposed to." He turned back to her, but didn't look at her. His eyes seemed glued to a space in the distance. Then he looked down, straight at her.

"It's Gallifreyan."


	4. Chapter 4

Hello chaps!  
Now, many apologies for the extreme lateness of this chapter, but this week has been horrific. My brother has just left for uni, and the preps were tedious and tiring, I'm trying to do several million things at once, and so great was my busyness that I have barely had 5 minutes to come on the PC. Luckily I had a mini brainwave with this whilst relaxing in Biology, so this story continued in the only spare time I have currently. A 5th year's lot is not a happy one.  
This story will probably be at least 8 chapters long. I have most of chapter five sketched out, ready for another boring lesson, and so far, the plot seems to be moving at a quite average pace. Please refrain from asking me if this is the end yet after every chapter, because I know that I am awful at posting regularly, and I do apologize but I can't work more than 24 hours a day. (There are times I truly wish I had a TARDIS).  
And now without further adieu, I give you the (regrettably short) chapter four.

* * *

**Chapter Four.**

"It's Gallifreyan." Her heart dropped like a stone.

"_What?" _she whispered disbelievingly. Gallifreyan, the race of the Doctor, the race of the Time Lords, that very DNA, was in her blood? Her mind was numb, she couldn't think. Her heart was leaping into her throat, she could barely breathe. She looked down at her hand, the pale skin seeming unreal in the light of this new information. The blood that pumped along the veins just visible under her skin was alien blood.

"H-How?" she said shakily, still staring at her hand as if it was going to change under her very eyes.

"I don't know." The Doctor replied, his voice indeterminable. "But whatever it is caused your headaches and when you fainted."

"You mean," she struggled with the concept. "You mean I've been changing for days and I didn't notice?" The Doctor sighed.

"It looks that way."

"And you can't stop it?" she asked, looking up at the haggard alien. He shook his head.

"Not until I know what's causing it." There was a short silence, until Jack burst into the room, panting heavily.

"I've got it!" he cried, staggering into the room, trying to catch his breath. He turned to Rose. "How long have you had those headaches?"

"We've been through that already," Rose said, still pale from shock. "About a week." Jack's face lit up.

"About since I joined you?" he checked, and she nodded uncertainly.

"Jack?" the Doctor asked, confusion all over his face. Jack turned to him.

"It all makes sense." He said seriously. "If Rose has been ill since you met me, that means it must be something from 1940's London. Now, the only thing with the technology for something like this had to be either from my ship, yours, or the ambulance, right?" The Doctor paled as realisation hit him.

"Not the Nanogenes…" Jack nodded, keeping eye contact.

"Some of them must've got onto the TARDIS, just enough of them. But the question is, why?"

"Nanogenes don't just repair. Remember, I told you? Nanogenes are designed to recreate an entire species if necessary. An extinct species like mine would be a prime target."

"Wait," Rose called from the bed. "You're sayin' those little robots are rebuildin' me, just like them people in London?" A sudden vision of herself as a gasmask person flashed over her vision, and she swallowed back nausea.

"Not quite." The Doctor said. "There are less of them, so it's taking longer, added to the fact that us Gallifreyans are a complex race. And so far only the basics seem to be changing –DNA, probably cardiovascular system, stuff like that. You'll probably still be you, but you'll also be Gallifreyan."

"But the human body isn't built for that!" Jack said.

"The Nanogenes won't care; they'll cope, change anything that needs it." A thought hit him. "What about you?" Jack did a double take.

"What about me?" The Doctor walked across to the desk, grabbed the blood analyser and quickly took a sample from the human.

"Any headaches? Anything weird happen?"

"No, nothing." The Doctor jumped across to the control panel and inserted the blood sample, sighing with impatience as it whirred into life.

"You might not be affected then." The Doctor frowned. "But why not?"

"Maybe I'm incompatible." The Time Agent suggested, with a shrug.

"Be glad." Rose mumbled from the bed, clutching her head wearily in one hand. Both men immediately were at her side.

"Another headache?" Jack said sympathetically, and she smiled wryly.

"At least now I know what's causing it." Rose said bravely, as the Doctor produced yet another device. Pressing it to her temple, he fiddled with the controls, and, with a strange hissing sound, the pain receded to a manageable level. "Thanks."

"It's the least I can do." He said, with a shrug that belied his emotions.

"So what do we do now?" Jack said eventually, looking between his two friends.

"We stop it." The Doctor said sharply, turning away from them. With swift movements, he grabbed the results from earlier and walked out, startling both Rose and Jack.

"What the-" Jack started, his brow furrowing. Rose sighed, and placed her head in her hands, despite the lack of pain. When he made to move, she reached a hand out to stop him, and he sat down again.

"I think I know." She said softly. She knew Jack didn't know much about the older alien, besides the basics – after all, they hadn't been travelling together for very long. He couldn't know.

"The Doctor, he was part of the Time War," she said, and he nodded, fixing her with his full attention. "His race, the Time Lords, lived on a planet called Gallifrey…"

"Yeah, it's one of those modern myths." Jack agreed. "Apart from this one's real."

"Anyway, the Doctor and his race were up against these things called Daleks…"

"Rose, I fought in the Time War, I know most of this already…" Jack interrupted.

"Yes, but you need to know this to know the rest," she explained impatiently. "Because he was, is, the last. All his people are dead. You, and others fought in the Time War, and people, planets, races died. Can you imagine that? He's the last of the Time Lords, he told me once. His people used to be able to talk to each other telepathically, and now he can't hear anyone. Him, and the TARDIS, they're the only ones left. Until me."

Jack was still confused.

"Look, if what you're saying is right, and I'm turning into a Gallifreyan, then I'm going to be like him. A permanent reminder of all he's lost. The Nanogenes picked up on the fact that his DNA is unique. He knows that, but forcing it on him, it still hurts." Jack's eyes widened slightly in realisation.

"And it's not just that – he's worried." He said. "What happened on Earth – you saw it," he shivered in memory. "He cares about you a lot you know." Rose blushed slightly despite the situation.

"He worries about everything." She said quickly, avoiding the topic. Then her expression turned serious again, and she looked up into Jack's eyes. "What do we do?"

"As the Doc said, we stop it." He said quietly. "I'm sure there must be a pretty simple way to reprogram them or something. The Doc'll work it out."

"Yeah." She replied distantly, looking back down at her hand again, her mind superimposing the memory of millions of golden lights under her skin.

* * *

The Doctor sighed, rubbing his grainy eyes forcefully. Blinking to refocus, he tapped a few keys, and frowned at the result. Hopeless. He had been working for over twenty-four hours straight already, and before that, when had he last slept? He frowned as he tossed the matter over in his mind. He hadn't slept since Jack had joined them – he hadn't needed to. It was over a week at least, which meant he was overdue forty winks. But with everything that was happening, and the long work ahead of him, there was no chance for sleep. So, gritting his teeth, he forced himself back on track and continued to slug at the problem.

In this state of near exhaustion, he didn't notice the figure stood by the door, until he tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped and turned quickly, panicked, nearly hitting a worried-looking Jack right on the jaw in the process.

"Jack!" he exclaimed, cursing himself for being so tense.

"Doctor, you all right?"

"I'm fine." He waved it off quickly. "How's Rose?"

"She's fine, apart from being even more worried about you than I am."

"I'm fine!" the stressed Time Lord retorted, as the other man's eyebrow rose.

"OK, so you've been working for at least two days straight, you just tried to punch me, and I'm sure we haven't been boxing, so those rings under your eyes aren't bruises. You are not in anybody's book 'fine'."

"I am fine." The Doctor said firmly, returning his gaze back to the computer screen. Jack, now thoroughly annoyed, folded his arms.

"Right, we aren't going to have that argument again. Either you go to bed of your own volition, or I knock you out and drag you there myself. You are not doing anyone any favours, least of all yourself!" He glared at the Doctor, who turned to face the worried and angry Time Agent. For the first time in a long time, he crumbled. 'Must be _really_ tired', he thought to himself. Hitting the standby button on the screen, he pushed back the chair, glared at Jack's triumphant grin, and got up. And fell down.

"Really should remember to sleep more often." He muttered as he dragged himself back to his feet, Jack pulling his arm and transferring some of the weight to himself.

"You should remember to work out more often." Jack complained, flashing him a grin. "Fancy it sometime?"

"As long as you're locked up in your room." The Doctor retorted, still finding the energy to fend off the indefatigable man.

"Touché." Jack replied, glad he had already sent Rose to her own bed not long earlier.

When they reached the Doctor's bedroom, the Time Lord turned to the other man.

"Right, off you go."

"What?" Jack replied, grinning. "And miss a chance to get into the bedroom?"

"Down boy," the Doctor warned. "Get into your own. You've got me this far, I'm sure I can manage to get into bed myself." Jack shot him a disappointed look, and sauntered off, to find his own bedroom.


	5. Chapter 5

**FireOpal** - Sorry it's been so long mateys, but you would not believe the amount of coursework and homework I've had to do recently. This is a slight peace offering, short though it is, until I finish the next chapter. New story coming up soon (partly written already!), probably after I finish drama this Friday. (We're doing 'The Witches').  
Readers will want to read another short fic I'm posting later that may explain what I'm going to do, and what's been going on, with a little help from my favourite characters. Hey, it was a boring rehearsal!  
Check out our livejournal community – Time and Chips. Posted there too… it's superb. Great people, fun topics, endless D/R.  
Oh yeah, I don't own this. And it will end up as D/R. Yay!  
Chapter 5, voila.

* * *

**Chapter 5.**

"Come on Rosie, wakey wakey!" Jack's sunny call filtered through the dark of her bedroom, accompanied by a familiar scent.

"Put down the bacon and step away slowly." Rose muttered, lifting her head from underneath the mounds of covers. His grinning face flickered into view as his free hand depressed the light switch. Rose groaned and burrowed back underneath her duvet.

"Ah-ah." Jack admonished, putting down the plate carefully near the bed and tensing. Suddenly and without warning, he pounced, throwing himself bodily onto the bed, which squealed. He grinned evilly, reached for the body within, and tickled mercilessly.

"Cheat!" Rose yelled, intermingled with her shrieks and muffled by the body on top of her and the covers,

"Having fun?" the Doctor had appeared in the doorway, a smirk on his face. Stopping short, Jack flushed despite the happy grin on his face. He climbed off the bed, just as Rose's head reappeared, her eyes fixing on the Doctor, taking in his face with a knowing eye, while she blushed.

"Jack started it!" she cried petulantly at his smirk, reaching out hopelessly for the too-far bacon sandwich-filled plate. Falling to the floor with a bump, she glared as the two men laughed.

"Sure did." Jack said unrepentantly, lifting the sandwiches further out of her reach and laughing as her scowl deepened.

"You are a cruel, cruel man, Captain Jack Harkness." She said, wagging her finger at him as she pulled herself upright.

"Just proving the temptation of bacon is beyond even the great Rose Tyler." He retorted, handing her the plate, but not without taking one for himself. The Doctor did the same, and swanned off, leaving Rose surrounded in the wreck of her bed.

* * *

Rose entered the kitchen some time later (though dressed and with an empty plate this time) to find Jack washing up. His favourite apron had come out again, proclaiming to the world "Kiss the cook."

"Hey you," he said, taking the plate from her and washing it quickly in the soap-filled bowl. Jack, Rose mused, had a rather hyperactive attitude to the strangest of things. Well, he had a hyperactive attitude to everything, but mundane things such as washing up – domestic things, seemed to really spark his imagination. Probably had something to do with the fact that in his time, all the mundane jobs were done by robots, and he approached the 'quaint' methods with unnatural enthusiasm. Once they stopped him trying wash up the food, that was.

"So," he continued, draining away the water as Rose sat down, and hanging up his apron. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Rose said neutrally, unknowingly parroting the Doctor's phrase. "How's the Doctor?" Jack turned and looked at her seriously, before nodding.

"Kinda guessed you'd see it." He sighed, pulling up a chair and sitting on it backwards. "He's really worried about you. Tried to pull off working non-stop for twenty-four hours, just working on a cure. Practically collapsed when I pulled him away."

"Idiot." Rose growled, and Jack nodded. "He's gonna kill himself doin' that."

"I looked in the library before I sent him to bed for information on the Time Lords, given the current situation." He flashed Rose a sad smile. "Apparently, the Doc was long overdue, even by Gallifreyan standards. And he refused to stay there even when I carried him there. He's really worried, we both are." He chuckled faintly, trying to hide his weakness.

"Jack, I'm really all right." Rose said, taking his hand. "And I trust you guys. Well, except for when you have to look after yourselves." He grinned.

"Oh yeah, do the words 'barrage balloon' ring a bell?" She punched him lightly on the shoulder, laughing. When she stopped, her expression turned serious again.

"So what happens now?"

"I don't know." Jack replied honestly, unable to keep his own hopelessness out of the reply. Then he grinned and braced himself again. "But the Doc'll figure it out, you'll see." He patted her hand, then frowned, touching the skin with his fingertips. "You're cold."

He looked up to her face, and reached out a hand to touch her skin, which had gone a shocking pale white in a matter of seconds. Then, just as had happened before, her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed, falling off of her chair onto the floor. Alarmed, Jack leapt off his chair and pulled her into a better position, the cool skin feeling strange underneath his fingers. Then, scooping her up in his arms, he stood and dashed into the library.

"Doctor!" Jack yelled, bursting through the door. The Timelord looked up from his papers, irritated before his eyes focused on the limp blonde figure in the soldier's arms.

"What happened?" he was immediately up and sweeping large amounts of books and paper off of a handy desk with his arms, concern etched on his features.

"No idea." Jack replied, gently laying her down on the smooth polished wood. Snatching up the leather jacket, the Doctor placed it under her head, and grabbed some diagnosis equipment he had been studying. Running his fingers to her pulse line, he frowned as he touched her skin.

"She's freezing." He said, sounding shocked.

"I know. It was all of a sudden – we were talking, she went cold, and then she was flat out on the floor." Jack said quickly, trying to keep out of the busy Timelord's way.

"Any symptoms?" The Doctor asked businesslike.

"Nope, not a thing." He watched as the other man drew back, frowning. "What's wrong, do you know?"

"Well, her inner core temperature has dropped drastically – made obvious by the coolness of her skin. I think the Nanogenes must be tampering with her blood. Blood temperature is all regulated by the homeostatic system, so that there's enough oxygen. But her blood formula's changing, is able to carry more oxygen, so it's putting the system out of wack."

Jack nodded, even though the biology was slightly beyond him. His time and dimension astrophysics was fine, but his basic human biology was a bit lacking. Well, what could he say? The word 'biology' had always put him in a certain frame of mind. A certain, distracting, frame of mind.

"So what do we do?"

"I think at the moment all we can do is try to keep her warm. It isn't directly affecting anything else at the moment, and it was the sudden shock that made her faint." He thought hard for a moment. "I'll turn up the heating regulators in her room, and we can keep her in there until she seems to be back to normal I guess. The TARDIS has plenty of thick duvets, sleeping bags, everything, so we can get some of those."

Now he had a purpose, Jack relaxed slightly, and nodded. "I'll deal with that if you sort out the TARDIS. I don't want to hurt the old girl in any way." He said with a crooked grin. The Doctor nodded, and lifted Rose from the table before Jack could make a move. There wasn't a hint of any other emotion but concern and worry on his face, but Jack could feel the protectiveness coming off the man in waves, and silently backed down. Ever since he had first entered the TARDIS after being saved from certain death, he had seen the look the Doctor had shot him. Not angry, not violent or anything, just firm. A look that clearly said 'You've got no chance mate.' Or, in other words, 'Mine.'

* * *

After they had made Rose as comfortable as possible, the Doctor reluctantly went off to continue his work, leaving Jack to look after her. Sweating slightly in the excessive heat despite his thin t-shirt and rarely used shorts, he sat and fanned himself in a chair, whilst keeping a wary eye on the sleeping woman. He couldn't help but feel at least slightly responsible. After all, if Rose hadn't been subjected to the Nanogenes he had released in the first place, this wouldn't be happening.

Resolutely pushing away his guilty feelings, his mind strayed onto other topics. As usual at times when he wasn't in action or sleeping or otherwise distracted, his thoughts drifted to the aching expanse that was missing from his memory. Two years, two whole years of memory. Rich experiences, monotonous continuality, everything gone. Frustrated, he turned his thoughts away yet again, and just stared into the middle distance, clearing his mind of all thought.

It was some time later when he came to himself, just as Rose was stirring. He got up slowly, stretching unused muscles with a satisfying pop, and crossed to the bed, laying his hand on her cheek. Her temperature was much better, but still felt colder than usual body temperature, so he pulled the covers up round her further, smiling gently to himself.

"Doctor?" Rose mumbled as he withdrew his hand.

"Nope, sorry Rosie. It's only me." He said teasingly. Her eyes opened slowly, and focused on his face.

"Oh, sorry Jack," she flushed. "I don't know what came over me. What happened?"

"Just those pesky critters again." Jack replied lightly, sitting carefully on the side of the bed.

"So it's getting worse?"

"Yes." Jack sighed. "I'm sorry Rosie." Rose nodded, feeling sparks of panic flutter down her spine. Taking a calming breath, she tried to force herself to relax. Noticing her predicament, Jack stroked a few strands of her hair tenderly whilst he thought of the most appropriate words.

"You know, Rose, if you ever wanted to talk, you know I'm always here for you. About anything." Rose smiled at him slightly, and, throwing off the covers, embraced him sisterly.

"Thanks Jack." She replied, her voice slightly muffled. She leant against his shoulder, feeling slightly comforted. "It's just so weird. And scary. I mean, there's these tiny little robots that are changing who I am, and I can barely believe it but they're doing it. And I can't stop it." She hesitated. "I'm not even sure I want to." She whispered.

Unfortunately for Jack, he just missed her last words, or he might have been even more worried than he was already. Rubbing her arms comfortingly, he tried to allay her fears.

"I can't imagine how weird this is for you, but I know that the Doc will be able to figure it out. He'll have you back to saving the day in no time. No matter what happens to you, we'll be here, and no matter what it takes, we'll be here." She grinned weakly back at his reassuring smile, pushing aside her earlier thought.

"Thanks Jack."

"Any time Rosie, any time. Now, you get back under these covers and get some more sleep. Hopefully those nano's will stop mucking around soon and we can have you out of bed again." Rose nodded, and snuggled down into the warmer duvet, eventually falling into a light doze.

* * *

Review Responses 

**amefinch** – Finally, a chapter for you! Hope you enjoyed it.

**bookz** – Thank you, and your writing is most definitely not rubbish! Keep going, and everyone, read this person's stories!

**Akisame15** – Sorry for the wait!

**Kazzy** – Took my time I know, but hope you enjoyed it!

**Dr** **Azaria** – Just b wink . I wish the Doctor'd get his act together too, but hey. He's being bloody stubborn! After this chapter, it's only him to go…

**Laseri** – Some explanation for you, I hope that helped. Jack's amazing isn't he? He's a great intermediate… match maker Plus, the Doc loves Rose so much he's really worried, combined with his own painful past… hey, I'm good at angst!

**LilCosette** – Lovely cookies, but you'll make me fat! I know I rather take my time with updating, but I don't do it on purpose, and I feel really guilty about it. blush Here's more chapter for you.

**Morph** - salute Will do!

**BrunetteJedi** – Glad you're enjoying it. And aren't they great? I love writing Jack/Doc banter… and Doc/Rose banter. And all of it.

**Becsy** **Lexi** – Hope this chapter lived up to expectations! See you in the community.


	6. Chapter 6

**This is dedicated to those amazing and splendiferously fantastic people on Time and Chips. A constant source of support and comments g along with wonderful fics and a very friendly attitude. These guys are helping me write this faster!  
**Anyone reading my other stories may be miffed to hear that I'm gonna concentrate on this until I finish it now. I've got it all planned, and I just want something finished. Sorry!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

When she next awoke, it was because the room was far too hot, and she struggled lethargically against the hot covers.

"Oi, who turned the heating up?"

"The Doctor. Apparently there was something wrong with your 'homeostatic system'." Jack said, inserting air quotation marks with his hands.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack shrugged.

"You were too cold."

"Ah, so that's why you're wearing shorts and a t-shirt." Rose said. Jack looked offended.

"Hey, I happen to think I look very sexy in this outfit!" Rose rolled her eyes at him, and pulled herself out of bed, her skin feeling hot underneath her rumpled clothes.

"Sexy or not, I want my heating fixed – I'm not gonna sleep in this every night. Anythin' you can do?"

"Sorry Rosie, that's not my forte. I'm into the 'looking cute and taking care of the sleeping beauty', not TARDIS mechanics." He grinned, and she smiled back despite herself.

"Oh you." She replied, heading for the bathroom. "Well this sleeping beauty ain't asleep no more, so you can go and amuse yourself somewhere else while I have a shower."

"I'm upset you don't want me to stay." Jack replied in a mock-hurt tone of voice. "But if that's the way you want it to be, then I must resign myself to the fact that I am not the man who has captured your heart." And with a flourish, he left, leaving Rose to chuckle to herself. Really, that man could be so overdramatic sometimes.

* * *

"So, where is he?" Rose said, walking into the living room, towelling her hair dry. Jack looked up from the TV, and gave a wry grin in response.

"The lab, where else?" he said, then hesitated. "Look Rose, I don't know if your going there is a good idea at the moment. He's really beating himself up about all this." Rose shot him a small, determined smile, hanging the damp towel over a radiator.

"Precisely why I'm gonna see him. See you later." Rose left the control room, and strode purposefully to the lab.

* * *

"Doctor?" Rose called, trying to spot the elusive Timelord amongst the piles of paper and gadgets that were strung all over the TARDIS laboratory.

"Rose?" his answer came as he surfaced, his tired expression tight. "You should be resting."

"So should you." She replied bluntly, crossing her arms and leaning casually against the doorway.

"I'm fine." he parroted, covering his face by frowning at a piece of paper.

"No, you're not."

"I'm fine." He repeated through gritted teeth, eyes narrowing as if he could will the paper to catch fire. "I don't know what Jack's been telling you this time-"

"Jack said nothing – he didn't **need **to say anything! I could tell before he **needed** to tell me that you haven't slept for at least two weeks!"

"Gallifreyans have a different physiology to-" the Doctor started vaguely, but Rose interrupted, her brown eyes alight.

"We're not thick, we researched that. One week without sleep, absolute maximum."

"I've had rest!" the Doctor explained, abandoning his pretence of research to throw the paper onto the desk.

"Only because Jack carried you to bed!" she exploded, moving into the room. "Doctor, face it, we're worried about you! You may not be human, but you're not bloody invincible! We're worried about you, **I'm** worried about you. And," she swallowed against the panic and sadness that had been forcing its way up her throat since she had woken, "with, with everything that's going on, I need you to be steady. Please."

The Doctor crossed from his position to stand in front of her as she sniffed unsuccessfully.

"I just can't stand losing you Rose." He said in a lost voice that caused the first tear to spill over onto her cheek. "I need to stop this."

"But I need you safe," she replied, meeting his gaze with hers. "I don't want to lose **you.**"

"You won't lose me Rose." He said softly, folding his arms around her. "You won't lose me."

Rose rested her head on his jumper-covered chest, feeling safe in a way she had never before. Part of her felt strange, vulnerable in front of him – a man who seemed to be able to shut his emotions away until they couldn't be seen, but she ignored this, and relished the comfort of his embrace, made all the more personal by the soft light fabric in place of the usual thick battered jacket.

Then she pulled back, and smiled slightly at him.

"You're still gonna get some rest though." She said firmly, watching the reluctant acceptance cross his face.

"OK, OK," he replied, holding his hands up in a peaceful gesture.

"Now." She added. The Doctor rolled his eyes, and Rose grinned relentlessly back. He quickly moved away to shuffle his papers into order, and turned off the computer console. He lifted the infamous jacket off of a chair where it had been discarded earlier, and stood expectantly in front of her. Still grinning, she stood aside and let him out. Then, with the air of a mother hen, she shooed him along the corridors, pausing to catch Jack's grin and wink as she passed the American.

The Doctor stopped when she had walked him all the way into his rather Spartan bedroom, and folded his arms resolutely.

"Out." he said, but Rose just smirked and turned her back. Rolling his eyes again and resolving that even if he threw her out bodily she would still win, he grabbed some long sleeved pyjamas from a drawer and quickly changed in the ensuite bathroom.

Rose turned when she heard him come out, and had to forcibly restrain herself from gawping at his lean frame, lightly clothed in pale blue, his feet uncommonly bare. Without even thinking about it, her eyes glanced up and down, before flushing slightly. Luckily for her, the Doctor hadn't appeared to notice, now being too tired to notice much. He pulled back the covers and climbed into bed, unwillingly admitting to himself that his human companions were right for once.

Rose moved forwards and in a teasingly condescending manner, tucked him in gently. Responding to his thoughts, the lights dimmed, and she smiled as he noticeably relaxed.

"Good night Doctor." She whispered, stopping herself from bending down to kiss his now smooth forehead. She walked to the door, just catching his mumbled reply before she shut the door.

"Night Rose."

* * *

"Jack?" The soldier looked up as Rose walked in, clad in a light t-shirt and some soft flannels he was sure belonged to the Doctor. She looked tired, as usual now, and he felt his chest constrict slightly. He could now understand the Doctor's concern; after all, Rose was always the one to get into trouble, but somehow, between them, she wriggled her way out every time. Except now.

"You alright? Something up?" he asked quickly, hiding his copies of the Doctor's notes under some magazines on the living room table.

"Nah, I'm alright." She quickly reassured him, knowing he would jump to erroneous conclusions faster than you could say Raxa-whatever it was. "I was just finishing putting him to bed and was wondering where you were."

"I'm getting plenty of sleep, I can assure you," he said quickly, holding his hands up defensively and feeling triumphant as she laughed.

"Good thing we're in the vortex or I'm sure your libido would be stopping that." He just winked in return, and she sat opposite him, curling up on the sofa.

"Something bothering you?" he said lightly, putting his feet up right on top of the magazines he was trying to hide.

"Well, I dunno." She flushed slightly, and fiddled with her hands. Jack knew with an amused sense of foreboding that something big was coming up, and he was practically sure he knew exactly what it was. Sure enough, much erring, silences and promises to allow her to do certain things to his genitalia and general health later…

"I love him. I do." Jack sighed to himself and grinned. Unfortunately, she caught this, and narrowed her eyes at him.

"You think this is a joke."

"No!" Jack threw himself forward to apologise. "No, nothing like that. I believe you, I really do."

"Then…?" She was confused.

"Well, isn't it obvious? I've known since I saw you guys. Such a cute couple, I remember remarking."

"We weren't dancing!" Rose retorted, flushing hotly, remembering the instance. He smirked.

"It certainly didn't look like talking. And you were hardly sambaing."

"You're hopeless!" Rose said, standing. Jack copied the movement, and managed to look slightly apologetic.

"Sorry. It's just true." Rose smiled wryly.

"Must be obvious to an omnisexual like you."

"I'm hurt." He said unrepentantly, and then frowned. "You've been learning new words from the Doc. Omnisexual… it has a certain ring, doesn't it?"

"I do believe we were here to talk about **my** non-existent love life, not your reproductive habits."

"OK then," Jack said easily, flopping back down. "You fancy him, he fancies you, where's the problem?"

"He doesn't fancy me." Rose muttered, flopping down herself.

"He so does!" Jack replied, unsure as to where the conversation was going.

"He doesn't!" Rose insisted. "How can he fancy a stupid ape like me?"

"Who called you that?" Jack said quickly, unwittingly flexing his muscles at the thought of someone insulting **his** Rosie as he joined her on the sofa.

"He did." She replied in a small voice, leaning against him. "Said he'd 'picked up another stupid ape'."

"When?" he replied sharply, and listened intently as she hastily explained the events when they travelled back to the 1980's.

"But I am. I'm just a stupid ape who worked in a department store folding clothes, and now he's all worried and stuff because I've managed to get into even more trouble." She ended slightly tearfully. Jack folded his arms around her and placed his chin on her shoulder, trying to force his words into her head.

"He was angry and hurt because he thought you didn't care and he let that get to him. And so you worked in a department store. So what? That doesn't affect who you are. All those famous people, Charles Dickens started off as a clerk in some office. I bet you if he hadn't seen something real special in you, the Doc would never have chosen you. And this is not your fault," he added, "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine for opening the damn thing, and that is not open to discussion."

Rose smiled slightly, sniffing.

"What is it with you guys and Dickens? I can't stand him. Well, he was OK, his work's naff."

"Uneducated."

"Omnisexual."

"You say that like it's an insult!" Jack retorted, eyes glinting with mischief. Rose rolled her eyes, leaning back against his shoulder. She sighed, and smiled as he continued to chatter, quite happy to take over the role of big brother again.


	7. Chapter 7

After the squeeing and excitement (that I still haven't got over) of the CIN scene, I bring consolance to the avid 9 fans still protesting David's cute existence ("David? David Who?"). Another chapter... rather short, but as the good author says "Quality over quantity." Strangely dedicated to our new Doctor, Mr David Tenant, Species continues!  
Also posted on Time and Chips.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

After Rose's collapse, the Doctor found himself more and more worried about her. Checking her room at night to see she was sleeping alright, scanning her for any sign of fever or cold, leafing through acres of useless text in vain. He wasn't even sure why he was researching anymore. After all, nothing like this had ever happened before. It was impossible, or should be.

And Rose was getting worse. Well, it wasn't obvious to Jack, but he saw it. Saw it when he entered the control room for something, late at night, and found her lounging around, wide-awake. When he had asked her why she wasn't sleeping, she had simply replied she didn't feel tired. After careful observation, he admitted to himself she couldn't be feeling tired – she didn't look it, despite her lowering amount of rest. It looked like another Gallifreyan trait was starting to come through.

Deep down, he was waiting. Part of him, the part that was coldly scientific, morbidly curious, wondered how well it would work. To what extent the Nanogenes would reproduce his anatomy. And, tinged with fear when he thought of the implications this would have on Rose. She didn't know half of what he was, she had no idea what she was heading for.

So he did something he probably shouldn't have done. Well, you know what they say – good intentions don't always have a good outcome, depending on your view…

* * *

"Rose, it's for your own good…"

"I thought you were on my side!" she cried, turning away from the Time Agent angrily.

"I am!" he retorted. "I am on your side, and I'm on his. You're on the same side, you just can't see it!"

"Ha!" she spat, gathering the covers from her bed, and then throwing them back to try to relieve her pent-up frustration. "Where is he?"

Jack backed away, trying to keep the conversation friendly as her eyes sparked.

"Where is he?" she hissed, hands on her hips.

"He's doing it for your own good!"

"By confining me to my room? Restricting my freedom? Taking away my choices?"

"Yes!" Jack yelled, matching her tone at last, inwardly marvelling at the change that had come over the woman.

"What on Earth is going on?" the Doctor asked, entering the room with a frown. Jack winced. Talk about bad timing.

"You!" Rose cried, turning her attention to the Time Lord with startling speed. "I've been looking for you!"

"Why?" the Doctor asked, puzzled and slightly worried at how much she resembled Jackie at that moment.

"Why?" she repeated, "Well, maybe because I'm to be confined to bed? Maybe because you're stoppin' me live?"

"I just thought that it'd be better for you," he consoled, but Rose wasn't having any of it.

"Well it's not, so you can both just leave me alone!"

"Rose, Rose," the Doctor cajoled. "Listen to me. I understand you're worried, but there's nothing you can do. You'd be much safer in bed, in case anything happens."

"Wherever I am, I'm changing anyway. Stayin' in bed all day isn't gonna change that."

"What if you collapse again, and you fall and hurt yourself? Or something else happens?"

"What if I collapse in bed – and you're not there? How does it make any difference? And, while we're at it," her anger steeled her resolve, "what if we shouldn't be stoppin' this?"

The Doctor froze, feeling icy water fall down his spine to rest uncomfortably in his gut.

"Rose, you're turning into something you're not." He said slowly. "That's not normal – it's not good." He pondered seriously if the change was starting to affect her mind. It was possible, anything was possible. They were in a country without a map, a flashlight or a tent. And a complete lack of anyone else around at all.

"He's got a point, Rose." Jack said quietly, but that, combined with the slightly odd look the other man was giving her only fuelled her ire.

"And you're on his side too!" she paused, realising her angered words were getting her nowhere. "It's not hurtin' me, it's not gonna kill me, you said that yourself. Maybe this is what's meant to happen. You told me you're the last of the Time Lords," She quietened, "I don't want you to feel alone anymore. If me sacrificin' my humanity is what it takes, then so be it."

"You'd do that for me?" the Doctor asked quietly, shocked.

"Yes." Rose replied simply. "And I'm gonna do it, no matter what."

"But I don't need you to do that. I won't let you." He said firmly, taking her shoulders. Her eyes blazed as she pulled away.

"Then take me home."


	8. Chapter 8

_Kudos to the people at Time and Chips.  
Disclaimer as usual.  
Notes, etc, available at Time and Chips._

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"Then take me home!" The words hung in the atmosphere between them as they started into each other's eyes, with Jack watching on the sidelines.

The Doctor's mind tumbled with emotion – confusion, pain, anger and annoyance; he felt completely at a loss.

"I-" he faltered. "I need to think." Turning swiftly, he stalked off, leaving Jack and Rose alone.

"Oh, go away." She snapped, walking back into the room further and sitting huffily down on the edge of the bed, fear curling in her stomach. Jack's face flickered with hurt for a second, and he walked out as Rose looked up, guilt in her eyes. Dammit. She was in a right mess now.

* * *

The Doctor returned to the room some time later and leant against the doorway, his eyes tired and his face unreadable. Rose looked up, sensing his presence and sat up, her expression matching her resolve.

"I'm taking you home," he stated simply, and her heart dropped.

"For a visit." He added. It took a few seconds for her to realise what he had said, but when she did, Rose smiled. He didn't return the gesture, but left again, unable to face himself, despite what Jack had said earlier.

The Doctor had been in the garden – now at twilight, having shifted according to his mood. Forgotten stars twinkled overhead, and he lay back on the grass to find solitude in their unchanging light. His mind drew familiar patterns languidly, and he sat up suddenly, cursing silently against the tears that sprang into his eyes. He knew those constellations; he had lain, many many years ago on the soft grass, gazing up in childish wonder beside his father as shooting stars sparkled with brilliance, all the colours of an Earthen rainbow. These were the stars seen from Gallifrey, called by his traitorous mind and the TARDIS. Seeing them again added to the emotions that swirled in his gut, and he couldn't breathe. Choking, he sobbed and curled up, knees to his chest, the moist on his face, in his eyes, shining in the combined light of the stars and moon.

* * *

Torn between her two wishes – safeguarding her Theta and helping his Rose, the TARDIS noted a familiar figure, both annoying and very helpful, and unlocked the door.

Jack **had** been trying to find the kitchen – hell knew he needed a drink. However, the TARDIS had had to rearrange corridors for the Doctor, so everything was out of sync.

Spotting a familiar-looking door, he walked up to it and opened slowly, his hand on the handle. A sudden light breeze tickled his hair and he frowned. This wasn't the kitchen, or anywhere else he had expected the Time Lord.

He stepped inside, and froze as he spotted the sobbing figure, feeling his body jar with the strangely intimate and heavily private moment. Every sense in him firing, he stepped backwards slowly, silently retreating. However fate, or something else was conspiring against him, and a twig cracked under his foot, attracting the ears of the Doctor, even through his own grief.

The Doctor stilled, tears still soaking his face, hearts pounding. He never doubted his senses (except just post-regeneration, when everything was out of wack), and he had an choice of two – Jack or Rose. His question was answered when Jack's uncertain voice called across the room.

"Um, sorry, got lost again. I'll just–"

Wiping his face, he stood and turned. Coughing to clear his throat and hiding his discomfort in feeling so vulnerable, he replied.

"No. It's alright."

"Are you, I mean, are you alright?" Jack called, stepping forwards again. He was a bit at a loss – clearly his usual methods wouldn't work, as they consisted of alcohol, or sex. Neither of which would appeal, even from his point of view. The Doctor glanced over his new companion, weighing him up for a second, before answering truthfully.

"I don't know." He frowned, thinking, before catching Jack in a strong gaze. "You were a Time Agent, weren't you?"

"Yeah, before they wiped my memories." Jack replied, confused. The Doctor nodded.

"Then you fought in the Time War."

"To some extent."

"What do you know of the Daleks?"

Jack noted an inflection on the last word that spoke of repressed hate, and shivered.

"Not a lot. I know they were genetically modified to only feel hate, they have catastrophic weaponry. What do you mean?"

"You fought against them, and then one day they just disappeared, am I right?" Jack frowned.

"Yeah. We all thought it was weird."

"They went to fight a bigger war." The Doctor looked away. "Our war. The last true Time War between the Daleks and the Time Lords."

Jack listened with bated breath. The Doctor's voice was distant as he watched images of a war only he could see.

"Then we destroyed them. All of them. In doing so, it destroyed my planet, destroyed all the Time Lords. I thought it was worth it. Us for them. Then I was the last. I am the last." He sighed explosively, before continuing firmly. "It was worth it."

"Nothing's ever worth that." Jack replied vehemently, surprising the distracted Time Lord. "But we live with it, because we can't change it."

"Maybe you're right." The Doctor wandered around, not really thinking clearly. He had plucked a flower from its stem and was wondering at its beauty in the low light before he really looked at it, and smiled sadly. A rose. How apt.

Turning back to Jack, he held it out. Jack shot him a puzzled glance, but the Doctor gestured for him to wait. Then, concentrating, closing his eyes, he opened his link to the vortex, focusing the wealth of power on the small flower. He opened his eyes as the companion gasped, tendrils of gold light curling like smoke around the petals, reforming it. A few short seconds, and he was holding a young rosebud, which he handed over.

"Being a Time Lord isn't just having thirteen lives. We are connected to all of space and time. I used to watch the older students at the academy do this when I was young – reverse time, speed it up, stop time completely – just for fun." He looked up at Jack, meeting his gaze.

"She doesn't know what she's doing. This wouldn't be reversible. And she wouldn't ever be the same again."

Jack swallowed, knowing he was speaking for Rose now. He wasn't sure if the whole transformation was a good idea, but what the hell.

"She knows that. And she's just as terrified as us. Probably more. But she's pretty set on it."

"She doesn't know what she's doing!" the Doctor repeated. Jack's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe she knows better than we do."

"What?"

"She's changing, right? And we've already agreed it's not really hurting her… all I'm saying is, she's doing this for a reason, and that's all that matters to her."

The Doctor was silent, and Jack pondered whether it was really his right to continue. Oh well, he was always the 'in for a penny, in for a pound' sort of person.

"She loves you, you know." The Time Lord's head snapped up, his eyes disbelieving, his expression closed. Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You can see it."

"All the more reason to stop this." Jack felt his temper rising, and hastily stood on it. Some of his ire bit into his tone however as he replied.

"You can't take away her choices."

"If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't be in this mess!" Jack braced himself, and stepped forwards, face stern.

"No, if it wasn't for me, she wouldn't be in this mess." The Doctor glanced over his expression, and they remained, frozen like that for a long moment.

"You didn't know what you were doing-" he tried to dismiss it, but Jack was prepared.

"And neither did you. Now you just have to live with it. And you shouldn't keep fighting yourself."

"Says you." The Doctor replied, coldness creeping into his voice as the truth bit him sharply.

"At least I'm trying!" Jack yelled, his temper finally broken. Then he turned and walked away a little, controlling himself. Without turning, he heard the Time Lord's voice, and relaxed, closing his eyes.

"Sorry. I know you've tried."

"Well, you do crazy things for people sometimes." The Time Agent mumbled.

"You know, Jack," the Doctor said, walking up to him. "I only take the best." He half-turned, and the Doctor smiled gently.

"Yeah. That's why you have Rose." Jack said after a while, turning the topic back on track. "Let her make her own mind up."

"OK." The Doctor replied, defeated. "I'll take her home – let her talk to her mum."

"That's a good idea." Jack agreed, and watched the other man leave to pass on the message. After a while, he headed on to the kitchen again. Now he really needed a drink. But, he paused, his hand over the bottle of tequila, maybe not that sort. Instead he walked to the coffee machine and set it in motion.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

I saw DT in HP last night, and grinned all the way through his scenes. I saw my DW music videos and sobbed throughout. _shakes head_ I so wish he hadn't left.  
So, as a balm, I post this for you all. And, eventually, I have an exciting, possibly nearly finished fic that could be fun for you to read. Keep your eyes out for it.  
Enjoy.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9**

Rose looked in her wardrobe indecisively for a moment, before grabbing her familiar blue jacket, a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans, which she threw on. All the while, she was deep in thought, and absently corrected herself when she tried to put her sock on her hand, instead transferring the garment to her foot.

What on Earth was she going to tell her mum?

All this time, it struck her guiltily, she hadn't thought of her once. Had just decided to change who she was completely without a thought for her. She hadn't rung home in ages. And now what?

She could just not tell her. But, she sighed; the Doctor would almost definitely mention it. This whole thing, now her suspicious mind was back up and running, sounded like a plan to change her mind - take her home, guilt her up, change her mind.

"I'm not changing my mind!" she said vehemently, then cringed as she realised she was talking to herself. Well, sitting here wasn't going to get her anywhere. Best to just play it by ear… and hope there would be no slapping this time.

* * *

"All ready?" the Doctor called as she entered the control room. Nodding nonchalantly, she took her usual spot – hanging onto the rails – and watched as the Doctor pranced around his time machine. Rose was just enjoying the view of his happy face, and the way his body moved fluently, when she caught herself and flushed slightly, unnoticed in the rocking ship. It seemed to be a smoother ride than usual, or maybe she was just used to it now. Eventually, the Time Lord stood back, and his happy expression faded, before returning – now rather forced.

"2006, London. It's, ooh," he checked his watch, "about a month since we were last here."

"Sure about that this time?" Rose replied lightly, and for a moment, his lips quirked a smile at her.

"Certain. After last time, I made absolutely sure. I don't want another lovely purple bruise from your mum."

Jack smirked. "Now I really want to hear that story."

The Doctor mock-scowled, before gesturing to the door. "Come on, London awaits."

Rose smiled, and raced forwards, out the doors, and gasped as she was immediately soaked in icy rain.

"Oops." The Doctor muttered, before shrugging off his jacket and handing it to Rose, who took it gratefully. Jack watched the exchange and grinned, despite the drops of water worming their way through his own jacket. If they were more obvious they'd be walking round with t-shirts declaring their undying love. Hey, that wasn't a bad idea…

* * *

They arrived at Jackie's flat soaked and cold, but happy – Rose's enthusiasm at being home almost contagious. Rose knocked and let herself in, gesturing for the other two to follow her lead. The Doctor readily agreed, having had prior experience, and Jack just followed the other two, turning the charm on.

"Mum? It's me, Rose." She called, taking off the Doctor's jacket and shaking off the water.

"Rose! You're home!" came Jackie's reply from the kitchen, followed by the woman herself, who bustled up to them and hugged her daughter enthusiastically, before pulling back. "You're soaked! Doesn't that place of yours have umbrellas? You'll catch your death!" she glared at the Doctor as they gradually made their way into the living room, before spotting Jack. Her glare intensified.

"And who on Earth are you?"

"The name's Captain Jack Harkness, marm," Jack replied charmingly, taking Jackie's hand and kissing it. "It is a pleasure to meet you, your daughter is a wonderful friend."

Taken aback, Jackie stuttered a reply.

"Friend?"

"Yeah," Rose jumped in quickly, "he's like an older brother to me; you'll love him."

"Oh. Good." Jackie replied, and the three inwardly sighed with relief. Jack's intelligent words had saved them half an hour of ranting. Now they only had the usual 'nickin' my daughter, draggin' her off with you' rant.

"So mum, how's things?" Rose chatted, walking off into the kitchen to make them up some tea.

"Alright, but it would be better with you here, sweetheart." The older woman replied, hugging her daughter again. "Oh, go and get a towel and change your clothes, I'll get the tea. Get one for that Jack as well, the nice blue one."

Grinning, Rose did as she was told, snatching a fluffy white one from the airing cupboard as well and tossing them across to the other two. Then returning to her room, she changed clothes, and returned to find that Jackie was already laying into the Doctor, Jack sitting astounded on the sofa as the Doctor leant against the far wall. Sighing, she wondered how best to break them up.

"…no word for months and you turn up out of the blue! What's the big idea? She idolises you, and you just take it for granted!"

"I don't!" the Doctor replied indignantly, and Rose smiled to herself before coughing. The Doctor flushed slightly, Jack sat back with a smile lingering on his lips, and Jackie turned.

"Mum." Rose started firmly. "I am fine. If I went to university, you wouldn't see me often, so quit worrying. And he brings me home, and I have a phone." She took it out of her pocket and waved it in her face. "You can ring me any time you like."

"Last time it was a year, an entire year I spent lookin' for you!" Jackie started, but Rose cut her off. Literally.

The combined emotion in the room was practically tangible, and as her mum continued, Rose felt herself get more and more annoyed. Finally, wondering why they had bothered to visit at all, she threw up her hand to tell her to be quiet, when something uncurled in her mind and unleashed itself through her palm.

Suddenly, everything stopped. The rain pelting the window was silent, like it had been turned off. Jackie was frozen in place, mid-word. Jack was as still, stuck in a moment. Shocked, Rose lowered her arm, trembling as she looked around. When she finally looked at the figure in the corner, her gaze locked with the Doctor's as he walked across the room, to take her arms. Rose felt slightly faint, and wildly awake, and closed her eyes, trying to resist the urge to faint.

"…It's alright Rose, it's OK. Listen to me, it's OK…" The Doctor was saying, and she clung to that as the world swung back into focus. She was curled in his arms now, her head on his chest, his arms around her waist, his mouth next to her ear. Still trembling, she tried to calm her breathing, and after a few minutes, she opened her eyes. Luckily, his body was sheltering the weird scene from view, so she licked her dry lips and asked instead.

"What happened?" her quiet voice cut into the near-silence, filled with his breathing, murmuring reassurances and twin heartbeats.

"It's alright." He repeated quietly, calmly. "You just stopped time."

"What?" she asked, shocked, pulling back to check his face, that he wasn't having her on. He wasn't.

"It's a Time Lord trick. I didn't realise you were this far on, or I wouldn't have brought you here." His face was worried as he explained. "The TARDIS has separate time to the rest of the universe, it still runs on Gallifreyan time, so it wouldn't be as dangerous."

"How, I stopped time?" she stuttered, relaxing slightly under his voice.

"Yes," he replied simply, before looking out the window. Rose couldn't stop herself, and looked with wide eyes at the raindrops frozen in time, just about to hit the window. "At least, around the flat, I think."

"How do I, stop it?" she said, pulling back. "I can't leave my mum like this!" The Doctor smiled reassuringly, and she looked back at him, after glancing over her mum, still standing next to them, mouth half-open.

"You were listening to her, right?" she nodded. "And it was a bit tense in here, I'll admit. I bet you wanted her to listen to you?" She nodded again. "You put your hand out, and up here," he tapped his head, "you felt it. Like you've suddenly realised how something works, or remembered something you thought you'd forgotten." Listening to him describe it, Rose realised that was exactly it.

"All you have to do is do it in reverse."

"How?" she asked worriedly, biting her lip. "I don't even know how I did it the first time! Why can't you do it?"

"I can't, you stopped time, you have to start it again," he replied gently. "Besides, you need to know how you did it so you can prevent it from happening again."

"OK." Rose replied, now feeling calmer.

"Wait," he held out his hand as she closed her eyes to concentrate. "I'd better get back, or they'll notice. People don't normally jump across rooms in split seconds, unless they're from Andrigious Six." With that, he walked back carefully, and repositioned himself against the wall. His gaze met hers across the room, and suddenly, his voice was at her ear.

_I shouldn't really be doin' this at the moment, but I thought you might need some more help, and I don't feel like yelling across the room._

Confused, Rose opened her mouth, but the voice stopped her.

_Ever heard of telepathy? Right, let's get on with this. _She closed her eyes, and followed his instructions to quiet her mind and imagine an hourglass.

Reaching out mentally, she grasped the image and turned it, and suddenly, there was a rush of sound that hit her senses.

"…I spent looking for you!" Jackie continued, and paused. Had Rose really been stood there a second ago? Shaking it off, she tried to keep going, but she felt odd.

"And she turned up perfectly safe." The Doctor saved. Jack had a shrewd look on his face that looked as if he knew exactly what happened, and eyed Rose for a second.

"Do you have any cookies, Mrs Tyler? I'd love some, if you have any."

"Of course, Captain. Call me Jackie, everyone does." She replied with a smile, which he returned.

"Call me Jack, Captain sounds so official."

Jackie bustled off into the kitchen, and the Doctor crossed the room to Rose.

"Are you alright?" he muttered in an undertone, and she nodded. Moving across to Jack, she flopped down on the sofa, sighing.

"What happened?" the astute American asked quietly, after checking his watch.

"The change, it's getting worse." The Doctor replied quickly, before Jackie returned and he resumed his position in the corner as she handed him a plate of ginger biscuits. Shame, he liked ginger biscuits in this regeneration.

Not quite sure what he was going to do, he watched the three interact, and silently followed Jackie out the room as she went to find Jack some cake. The Time Agent was really in his element, and for once the Doctor was grateful. Hopefully Jackie might be more amenable in this state.

"Mrs Tyler?" he asked, standing in the doorway. The blonde woman tensed, and turned, folding her arms.

"What do you want?"

"Look," he said quietly. "I know you think I stole Rose off you, and OK, it's not fair. But can we just lay that aside for a second?"

"Alright…" Jackie replied doubtfully, and he inwardly sighed with relief.

"I'm going to leave for a few days, there's some things I want to sort out that Rose shouldn't see, so I'm going to leave her here, Jack too. I want you to talk to her, OK?"

"And why wouldn't I talk to my own daughter?" Jackie replied angrily. He shot her a serious look, and for a moment, her breath was taken away.

"I mean _really_ talk to her."

"Are you coming back then?"

He looked away. "Yes. It's her decision if she wants to come with me when I come back. I'll give Jack some money, he can get a hotel-"

"No, I'm sure we can put him up here." It was weird, they were having an almost adult conversation. The Doctor glanced back into the living room where an amused Rose was showing Jack the TV. Jackie watched his expression suspiciously, and as he went to leave, she called out to him on a whim.

"Look after yourself. I don't want you breakin' her heart." The Doctor just looked at her for a moment, then left, closing the door quietly after him, his jacket once again over his damp shoulders.

* * *

Rose looked up as her mum came back in, bearing cake, and glanced around. Where was the Doctor? Feeling slightly panicked, she stood and crossed to the kitchen, ignoring her mum and Jack, both of whom were startled by her sudden behaviour. Frantically, she searched the whole flat, even barging into the bathroom without knocking (which could have been embarrassing). Eventually, she returned to the living room, looking lost.

"He's gone."


	10. Chapter 10

**F/O: **Featuring Doctor!angst, memories of 8, discussions of the Time War, and the Brigadier. Hope the wait wasn't too long... sheepishg

**Chapter 10.**

The Doctor shrugged off his jacket and left it hanging on the coat stand, where it dripped rainwater steadily onto the floor. He stepped up to the console with one bound, absently running through the usual, long-entrenched dematerialisation routine. As the engines whirred into action, he pondered briefly, sadly, on the reactions of his two companions left behind, before closing his eyes and walking off quickly to the wardrobe.

Once there, he pulled the sodden jumper over his head with a disgusted wince. Grabbing a towel and a clean green jumper from a rack, and tossing the damp, ruined garment to the floor, he noted the change in the engines that signified the differing speeds in the vortex.

This was done quickly enough that when he returned to the control room, he already felt lonely without Rose's bright laughter and comforting presence. He was able to stop the engines in automatic, and plotted the familiar co-ordinates.

He waited, not even tapping impatiently at the controls or even moving to check his course. Just waited, until the second change in sound told him he had arrived. Then, walking slowly, he approached the monitor, complete with post-it notes reminding him to switch off the monitor before tampering with the wiring. Tapping a few keys, the monitor was coaxed into life, and he glanced into the expected empty nothingness. The now-empty corner of space where his planet had been.

* * *

_The Doctor crawled across the floor of the TARDIS, bleeding from several places, including a long, nasty gash on his forehead that reached right into his brown curls. His clothes were singed and torn, even missing in some places where they had burnt right off. His green frock coat had been a lesser victim, and his cravat was still loosely hanging around his neck by some small miracle._

_Only iron will and determination drove him on, forcing his battered, dying body forwards to the console. It all depended on him now – nothing else mattered. He couldn't even allow himself to die trying. Not yet._

_Hauling himself up with trembling, bloodstained fingers, he blinked away the graininess that edged onto his vision and ran his hands over the familiar switches and levers. This switch, that dial, those two levers in succession, wait a second, then those two switches. As he heard the engines build and whir into life, he sighed, and coughed absently onto his hand, wincing at the sight of thick crimson blood splattered all over his fingers. Not long now, and he could rest. For once and for all if he was lucky._

_The Doctor barely even felt it as he slipped to his knees heavily, his whole body going numb from the pain and oncoming unconsciousness. His one last thought as he felt the entire ship shudder and whine underneath him, before he fell into inky darkness, was contemplative._

'_Now I know how Oppenheimer felt.'

* * *

_

The Time Lord shivered, the taste of coppery blood once again thick on his tongue. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. His hand ached for the comforting grip of Rose's – the way everything could be all right when she was there. The way _he_ was all right when she was there.

"Why?" he asked himself, before feeling slightly daft. 'Talking to yourself, Doctor. Not a good habit', a voice that sounded suspiciously like his last incarnation noted. He snorted. Since when had been into good habits?

With one last glance at the empty monitor, he turned suddenly, keying in different co-ordinates. Earth, 1980's. Britain. A little house in the country…

* * *

_In the TARDIS, at an indefinable moment in time, the lights flickered softly over the pathetic figure lying limp on the floor. Blood was pooling underneath him, but the flow was slowing, as he had already died._

_It had been a long time. Too long. Minutes ticked by, as the universe decided the fate of its saviour. Let him die and find solace, or give him life anew._

_Seconds stretched out to minutes._

_Then, eventually, the decision was made. Soft light curled around the body, and sank in, blurring everything until he was so out of focus that even if you were watching, blinking against the light, that you couldn't make him out._

_Features moulded. Hair shrank. Light faded._

_Taking in a deep, gasping breath, the Doctor opened his eyes._

_And sobbed.

* * *

_

He was rereading a favourite novel of his, when he heard the engines. Smiling to himself, he walked to the window in time to see the blue box appear in his garden, and then winced as it landed directly in the rose garden. Doris _would_ be annoyed.

Walking to the door, novel replaced on the coffee table, he heard the doorbell ring and answered it, slightly taken aback at the person he was confronted with.

"Really Doctor, this switching bodies of yours has become a bad habit." The Brigadier greeted warmly, and the Time Lord couldn't help but smile in return as he was welcomed in.

"Hello Brigadier. It's been a long time."

Alistair's eyebrow rose. "For you maybe. You just left about a week ago, according to our time. Doris will be most upset you messed up her flowers."

"I just left?" the Doctor frowned. "Which me?"

By now used to the Doctor's odd questions, he walked them through to the kitchen as he explained.

"Seventh, I think – shortish, dark hair, umbrella. Scottish accent."

"Right, I'd better be careful then."

The Brigadier sighed. "You mean you're coming back, again?"

The Doctor grinned sheepishly, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, eighth me. But he'll be OK, and you can't tell him anything." He added, turning serious. "Not a word – I mean it Brigadier."

Alistair nodded, recognising the need to guard his own timeline. "How many sugars?"

"None, just plain and hot." The Doctor said, turning to the window and glancing out at the beautiful sunshine. He grinned when he was passed a mug of plain hot tea, and cradled it in his hands, the now elderly ex-Brigadier coming to stand by his old friend.

"You seem different, Doctor." He commented.

"I am different." The Doctor sighed. "And not just the ears."

The Brigadier's lips quirked into a small smile, before turning solemn.

"I have only ever seen you like this a few times, and they were never good. Is it Gallifrey?"

"You know me too well. Yeah, it's Gallifrey." He paused, staring at his tea for a moment. "It's gone."

The Brigadier frowned. "I don't think I understand you Doctor, what do you mean?"

"It's gone. Destroyed." The Doctor turned away, and it struck the Brigadier at that moment exactly how much this man he had thought he had known, had changed.

"There was a war. We lost. Everyone lost."

"A war?"

"A Time War – the last Great Time War, between the Time Lords and the Daleks." The Doctor turned to face him, and the pain in his eyes struck him to the core.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

"I destroyed them, I had to. I was under orders. Romana – you remember her? I brought her here to meet Doris once, blonde hair at that time – she was made President of Gallifrey. She tried to reason with the Daleks." The Doctor snorted. It was not a pleasant sound. "Needless to say, it didn't work. So they attacked, and we fought back."

"You'll never see a time war, and be thankful. Entire armies never being born. Fleets of ships that were never created, because their designer's parents had never met. Planets, solar systems swallowed up without a trace – worlds destroyed in the blink of an eye." The Doctor's reflective tone sent chills down the Brigadier's back. He knew the Doctor, but he didn't know this side. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to.

"Then they arrived at Gallifrey. The council put their foot down – enough was enough. I'd got caught up in this by then - Romana thought she needed me. I never could resist her." He smiled sadly before continuing. "They set up a last resort, in case the Daleks ever got through to the inner defence systems."

Suddenly, the Doctor's voice turned thick, but he continued on, and the Brigadier listened, caught up in the horrific story.

"It wasn't too hard for them in the end. We'd agreed to put the controls on my TARDIS – the last place they'd expect. They stormed right in – I can still remember the screams, the burning, the blood." He paused for a long moment to regain his composure.

"The Daleks had created whole new horrific ways of killing people in mass numbers, and somehow, they'd made it so that everyone they killed couldn't regenerate. The guard managed to hold them off for a while at the outer gate, long enough for me and Romana to key in the codes for the last attempt. I asked her, pleaded with her to come with me. We both knew it was suicide. But she stayed. Said her place was with the capital, as the President."

For the first time he had known him in many different incarnations, Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart saw the Doctor cry. It was silent, and tears streaked his face, but it was more painful to see than anything he had ever been faced with in his life.

"They got in to the main compound. Oh, we fought them off for a while, just enough time to get back to the TARDIS. It's the first time I have ever wished for death instead of regeneration. I'm surprised it worked, after all those who died. Gallifrey's gone. The Daleks are gone. I'm all that's left."

There was a long pause, and the Brigadier carefully approached the unfamiliar man, before placing a comforting hand on his leather-clad shoulder.

"You are not alone, Doctor." He said quietly in his usual, calm way. Now the Doctor knew what he had been looking for all along – the chance to talk to someone who knew him, properly him, from before. Oh, Rose knew him better than any, and he was close to her in a way that was rather new to him, but she hadn't known him before Gallifrey. Before he changed.

"Thanks Alistair." He replied, when he had been returned control of his voice.

"Not at all Doctor, you know you are always welcome here."

The Doctor nodded, wiping his face clear, and checking himself in a handy mirror. Shame about the red eyes, but other than that (which he couldn't help), he looked OK.

"So, found a new companion yet, or are you on the look about?" the Brigadier started, and the Time Lord felt immensely grateful for the change in subject onto lighter matters.

"Yeah, I left them for a holiday, while I got sorted out. I'll bring them to meet you sometime." He replied with a trace of his usual grin.

"Then you can get them to help you sort out the rose garden when you return," he sighed. "Doris is not going to like that."

The Doctor grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

"Not at all. At least I can blame you this time," the Brigadier replied, waving away his concern.

"This time?" the Doctor's eyebrows rose. "I'll have to get that story when I return as well."

"Not staying then?" Alistair asked, slightly sad. The Doctor nodded, and set his empty cup down on the coffee table.

"Yes, sorry Brig. Got to go, you know, save the universe, that sort of thing."

The Brigadier stood too, and showed his old friend to the door, glancing at the flattened prize flowers with exasperation.

"Don't be a stranger, Doctor." He said eventually, shaking the new incarnation's hand. "Though, the rate you visit us, I'll be seeing you in five minutes anyway."

"Nope," the Doctor said, checking his watch. "I don't think I'm due again for at least a couple of days. Anyway, thank you Brigadier. Look after yourself."

And with that, he walked across the well-mown lawn and into the TARDIS. A few minutes later, the familiar police box disappeared, leaving Doris' crumpled roses his only memento. The Brigadier sighed, shook his head, and returned inside to spend some time thinking about life, the universe, and the Doctor.

* * *

**Note**: Oppenheimer was the creator of the first Atom Bomb. He is also known for quoting the words – I am become death, destroyer of worlds. Apologies if this is slightly wrong though. 


	11. Chapter 11

**F/O: **Apologies about the wait, and I'm afraid it's going to be the same again this time people. I'm afraid RL has finally got me by the teeth, after trying for several months. All fics are on semi-hiatus as my internet and fic time is to be drastically cut to a few hours on weekends. I'm sorry about this and hope you'll forgive me, but my life just can't continue the way it is.

Because it's been ages… :(  
**End of Chapter 9:**  
_Rose looked up as her mum came back in, bearing cake, and glanced around. Where was the Doctor? Feeling slightly panicked, she stood and crossed to the kitchen, ignoring her mum and Jack, both of whom were startled by her sudden behaviour. Frantically, she searched the whole flat, even barging into the bathroom without knocking (which could have been embarrassing). Eventually, she returned to the living room, looking lost._

"_He's gone."_

**End of Chapter 10:**_  
And with that, he walked across the well-mown lawn and into the TARDIS. A few minutes later, the familiar police box disappeared, leaving Doris' crumpled roses his only memento. The Brigadier sighed, shook his head, and returned inside to spend some time thinking about life, the universe, and the Doctor.

* * *

_

**Chapter 11.**

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, locking the door behind him and jamming his hands deep into his pockets with a shiver. He turned and glanced around the familiar grey estate, frowning as he spotted a figure running flat out towards him.

"I thought I heard the engines," Mickey started, panting. "I've been listenin' out for them for days."

"Yeah?" the Doctor replied shortly, leaning back against the police box doors as Mickey got back his breath.

"Yeah. You see Rose, she was swearin' you'd be back, so I thought I'd look out for you to keep her mind at rest. Flyboy's out lookin' for you near the centre of town – somethin' about lateral time-space somethin's."

'Multi-lateral time-space reco-ordinates, he must mean,' the Doctor mused. In early time machines and ships, it was a mechanism that stopped you from landing in the same place twice, due to time distortion. Ha, Jack knew nothing about the TARDIS if he thought that applied to him.

While he was thinking and acclimatising to the cool air, Mickey dug his phone out of a pocket and hit speed dial.

"Yeah, he's back. Bucknall Street, yeah. We'll go back to the flat – you ring ahead. Meet you on the way. OK." He rang off, and half-glared at the Doctor's confused frown. Inwardly taken aback, he reluctantly followed Mickey as he pondered. However he had expected Rose and Jack to react to his timely disappearance, he had never expected them to be this, well, organised.

Whilst all too familiar with planet Earth in most time periods, it was unsurprising that the Doctor had to carefully follow Mickey as they walked, whilst looking outwardly as if he was leading. It was a pride thing – Time Lords did not work well as servants.

They met Jack just as the Doctor was getting his bearings, and he was slightly startled to see a glare on the Time Agent's features, and that he seemed to be restraining himself from punching the older man. He was rather grateful for that – he hardly wanted physical abuse to be customary every time he visited Rose's home.

"Doctor, Mickey." Jack greeted, falling into step beside the Doctor. He was suddenly stricken by the unnerving thought that he was being frog-marched to the flat, and, for the first time he allowed himself to truly worry about her, consciously stopping his footsteps from speeding up. What if she had got worse? What if she was ill, or hurt? Jack wouldn't know to try and phone him in the TARDIS if something happened to her. Maybe they'd tried that while he'd been with the Brigadier. Heavy guilt uncurled in his stomach.

At the apartment, Jackie opened the door, and looking him up and down scathingly, before letting him in, albeit grudgingly. The unnatural silence from the Tyler matriarch worried him further, and he approached Rose's room with trepidation.

As he stood in the doorway, he was momentarily relieved to see her awake, and pretty much as he had left her. Then he realised that she was sat curled up on her bed, her head bowed and her hand open as she stroked her TARDIS key with her thumb.

"I could tell you were comin'." She said quietly. She didn't look up.

He swallowed, and searched desperately for something to say.

"Rose,"

"I told them you'd be back." Rose carried on, as if she hadn't heard him. Maybe she hadn't.

He was at a loss. The only species in the universe that could bring this out in him. The only woman ever to make him feel like this.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me. But you did."

"Oh Rose," he breathed, and saw her eyes close tightly. Rose swallowed.

"Jack organised the 'search party'. Said he was gonna kill you for leavin' him in a backwater time while you swanned off." She laughed, and he could hear the catch in her voice. "Knew it was just because he didn't want me worryin'."

Leaning back against the doorframe, he glanced at the ceiling as if he could find divine guidance.

"I talked to my mum. She was glad at first – now I think she wants to tear your guts out with a spoon."

It was the tone of voice that got to him. Casual, almost calm – conversational – with an undertone that throbbed through him.

"Mickey wanted to torture you a bit first – he figured anythin' else would be too easy. I told him he'd have to get in line at this rate."

Moving slowly, unsurely, he crept away from the doorframe and towards the bed, one thought running through his mind. Guilt. Pain. Self-hatred.

"I thought you'd gone forever." She whispered brokenly, still not looking up.

"Never." He returned fiercely, climbing onto the bed and touching her shoulder. Despite her earlier words, she leant into the touch, and he slowly put his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder as she crawled into his embrace. Anger could come later, and he knew it would. Tyler's didn't take things lying down, he knew. For now though, he held the most precious person in his life close to him. Her broken sobs running through her body and into his, he felt his heart crack, and his own tears fall.

"I am so, so sorry." He whispered in her ear, his voice thick. "So sorry."

They stayed there like that for a long while, barely moving, until both their tears had dried. Then, summoning up his confidence, he took Rose's hand and led her out to face his other companion.

* * *

Jack, though privately happy to see Rose better than she had been in days, forced himself to show only hostility to the Doctor. Time Lord or no, he had to know that hurting him, or Rose, was going to have consequences. His heart tugged at the Doctor's vulnerable expression however, and he wondered briefly if he was being too harsh.

'No, he hurt us,' Jack told himself firmly.

"Jack," the Doctor started, still holding Rose's hand. "I'm really sorry."

"Good for you," Jack replied coolly, forcing out the words. "I'm really annoyed."

"I know," he replied evenly, though his eyes betrayed him. "You have every reason to be, both of you. I just, I have no excuse."

Jack's eyebrow rose. "Well, that's novel. Usually when I'm betrayed they at least try to think of one."

The Doctor's eyes flashed with self-righteous anger for a split second, and Jack felt his hostility crumble.

"I'm not perfect, Jack. I make mistakes all the time."

"Didn't say you were," Jack replied in the same even tone, glancing over at Rose's pale face. She was watching the two verbally spar, knowing they had to get it out of their systems. "Why did you go?"

The Doctor's eyes thanked him for letting him have a chance to explain.

"I, I had to talk to someone. I didn't want you two to-"

"You didn't want us there?" Jack interrupted, hurt and anger lacing his voice.

"No, yes, I don't know!" the Doctor replied, throwing his hands in the air and walking away so that his back was to them.

"Oh no you don't," Jack muttered, grasping his arm and swinging him round. "We're gonna have this out right now."

"All right!" the Doctor exploded, anger and hurt breaking out in his expression. "I didn't take you because I didn't want to hurt Rose – I didn't want her to know that I resent her bein' like me 'cause it reminds me of what I haven't got! Because it scares the hell out of me, because I don't want her to do this to herself because of me! Because, for once, I had to think of myself!"

He was panting by the end, before he span around again, not wanting to see their faces. Their expressions.

He flinched as a hand landed on his shoulder, and he realised he was shaking slightly, angry tears pricking his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He heard Jack say, and then another, smaller hand took his and squeezed. He looked across at Rose, and smiled weakly.

"Me too," he replied hoarsely.

"You could've explained," Rose said evenly, resting her head on his arm. "We would've understood."

"I didn't want to hurt you – make you think I don't trust you or anything." He replied quietly.

"Yeah well, sometimes you need to talk to someone who knows how it feels." She replied wisely. "And besides," she continued with a grin, "you've learnt your lesson now."

He grinned back, dashing away the teardrops. "Yup. Clear my every moments through you."

"You don't have to tell us when you go to the toilet or anything though," Jack drawled with a grin. Rose punched his arm as a reply.

"Back to the TARDIS?" Rose said eventually, still holding his hand.

"You sure?" the Doctor asked seriously, and she nodded.

"Yep."

"OK, let's go." He replied with a grin.

Minutes later, Rose was bidding farewell to her mum, who, surprisingly, was taking it well. The pair hugged tightly for a moment, Jackie sniffing, and reminding her to ring every day and to visit often. They were even more surprised when, after shaking hands with Jack, Jackie extended her hand to the Doctor, who shook it carefully.

"Look after her, or you'll have more than a slap," she warned, and he nodded.

"With my life."

"Come on," Rose said, taking his hand with a grin. "Let's go home."


	12. Chapter 12

**F/O:-** Hello again! _ducks out from behind cover _Now, I know you guys might be a teensy bit annoyed that this has been hanging on for, ooh, months now, but I have excuses! _holds up sheaf of paper_ Really! Well, OK, maybe not. My GCSEs are coming up though, and I've been trying to cut down on writing-time (except for coursework, obviously), or at least to small snippets that aren't connected to anything. I think it might've worked... Nearly.  
But this story is finished now, and though unBeta'ed, I've done some intensive work on it, so it should be legible. I hope you enjoy it, because I sure as hell have :D  
**Disclaimer - **As usual, this does not belong to me, but those clever people at the Beeb.  
PS. There might be a sequel. Sorry.

* * *

End of Chapter 11… 

"_Look after her, or you'll have more than a slap," she warned, and he nodded._

"_With my life."_

"_Come on," Rose said, taking his hand with a grin. "Let's go home."_

**

* * *

Chapter 12**

Back at the TARDIS, Jack slunk off to wherever it was he went when it was clear the other two wanted some 'alone-time'. The Doctor keyed in the co-ordinates and pulled them off the familiar planet with ease, before turning to Rose.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," she grinned a little to prove her point.

He wasn't sure if he was supposed to ask, but he did anyway.

"What did you talk about with your mum?"

Rose sighed. "Just – stuff."

The Doctor wasn't sure if that was an invitation to ask more, or to drop the subject, so he fiddled a bit longer. Luckily, he seemed to have made the right decision as Rose walked up to him.

"I, I want to say that I'm sorry."

He glanced across at her, frowning. "What for?"

"…For never thinkin' about you. I mean, I knew all this would be hard on you and stuff – I'm not completely thick," she smiled weakly. "But I, well I thought you were leavin' me. I know you weren't," Rose added hastily. "But I didn't know where you'd go, so I just assumed…"

The Doctor reached over and took her hands in his.

"Rose, I have done many things in my life. Things I've been proud of, things I've been not so proud of. Things I regret, I wish I should've done… But there is one thing I'll never do, and that is dump you home and run off."

For a second, the words hung between them, warming their hearts. Rose seemed to brighten at the words, and her eyes lit up.

Then it was broken.

When she crumpled, only his swift reflexes stopped her head from striking the console. Rose sagged against him, her face contorting and paling in pain.

"Chest," she breathed, her eyes glazing. Then they rolled back into her head and she collapsed into unconsciousness.

Uncommonly, the Doctor swore, his blue eyes full of shock and worry.

Two fingers at her pulse point told him exactly enough to back up her symptoms, and he quickly lowered her to the floor, his hand resting over her heart, which lay dormant beneath her ribcage.

Humans called it a coronary – a heart attack, he remembered as he applied pressure. Now, to do the human recovery technique, or the Gallifreyan cardiovascular technique? His mind seemed desperate to feed him unnecessary information.

"Come on Rose," he muttered, mentally keeping count as he made her heart beat. Fear was held back, panic was reigned in – all that mattered was keeping her going.

Every few seconds, he put his fingers to her pulse, and every few seconds his own hearts stopped as he held his breath.

When he finally felt a pulse, he sighed in relief and sagged onto the metal floor for a second, before collecting Rose's light form in his arms and carried her to the medical bay.

The colour was already returning to her cheeks as he scanned her, and to his immense relief, she seemed mostly unaffected by the sudden heart attack. It had presumably been a result of the second heart starting up that he could feel resonating under her breast.

She didn't wake up as he sat down on a battered chair and sobbed into his hands.

* * *

"…Not here again," Rose mumbled as she woke up.

A snort sounded from next to her, and as her eyes focused, she found herself looking into the Doctor's concerned blue gaze.

"Well, if you will keep collapsing on me," he replied lightly, perching on the side of the bed. "How do you feel?"

She considered a moment, before a hand strayed to her breast. "Two hearts?"

"Yes," he replied softly, hiding his own conflicting emotions.

"Weird," she stated succinctly. The Doctor couldn't resist a small smile.

"Good weird or bad weird?"

"Good weird," Rose replied firmly, answering his unasked question. There was no way he was stopping her now.

He couldn't think of a suitable reply, so he stood instead.

"You might want to get some rest," he suggested. "I'll see you to your room."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes sir."

Still, she took his gallantly offered hand to help her up, and didn't protest when he made sure she got to her destination.

* * *

"Why've we landed?" Rose said, coming into the control room some time later as the tell-tale resounding of engines betrayed their actions. The two men looked up from their respective positions at the controls and clinging on to one of the columns.

"Rose, you should be in bed," The Doctor said, looking at her from across the room.

"I feel fine," she waved it off, walking over. "Why have we landed?"

"We need some more supplies," Jack said, trying to persuade the TARDIS that staying still was a good idea.

"Supplies?" Rose said with a frown, leaning on the rail. "I thought we got everything from home."

"Just some medical stuff," The Doctor interrupted shortly. "Go to bed, Rose."

"I said I'm fine," she said firmly. "No headaches, no sickness, nothing. And I refuse to lie in that bed when we're on a new planet, just because you lot all think I'm about to die or something."

"Doc," Jack interrupted, trying to relieve some of the tension. "You want me to go and recon?"

"No, I know these people. They'll be more than helpful," the Time Lord said, grabbing his beloved leather jacket from a chair.

"Can I come?" Rose said hopefully. She was rewarded by a sharp look.

"No. You're going to get in that bed and stay there until I come back."

She folded her arms, in imitation of one of his favourite poses.

"Really."

"Rose," the Doctor said cajoling. "The faster you get in that bed, the faster I can go out and get the device I need to stabilise you. I don't want you collapsing all over the place again."

"I have no intention of going to bed at all – I feel perfectly fine," she glared, daring him to try to forget their earlier argument. He glared back.

"Rose, don't act like a child."

"Isn't it you who keeps calling me 'stupid ape'?" she retorted. "I've told you once, I have no intention of letting this stop me."

"So you're just going to wait until you fall over again? Until you die because something happens that we can't help?" he half-yelled, moving around the controls so that he could face her properly.

"It's not killing me! You and Jack both said that!" Rose replied, trying to get him to see her sense.

"But this change isn't natural! We have no idea what is going to happen – and judging by the results so far…"

"Well, maybe things were supposed to happen like that!" she shouted. "I don't believe in god, or religion or anything much like that, but if things are supposed to happen a certain way, then maybe this is the way they're supposed to happen!"

The Doctor turned away, taking a deep, consolidating breath, and whirled back around.

"Rose. I'm going to walk out that door, get that device, and if I have to tie you down to the bed before I go with Jack holding your arms then I bloody well will!"

Rose glared at his calm facade, and took three slow steps towards him, so that she was right in front of him. Her eyes softened slightly.

"What if I don't care about rules, or, or, consequences, or the danger? What if this is what I want?"

"Rose, you're taking this way out of control!" he yelled, flinging his arms up exasperatedly.

"'Out of control'? Look at yourself, Doctor! And if you don't think I'm well enough, then don't you think that's my decision?" Rose said loudly. "Or are you going to take all of my choices from me?"

This wasn't quite going the way she planned, but damn it, she was going to hold her own. Her eyes held his pained, angry gaze for a long moment, and then his dropped. Rose tentatively stepped forwards, but before she could get any closer, the Doctor turned abruptly and left, the TARDIS doors swinging slowly shut behind him. Rose paled, then, swallowing, she turned around, a glint in her eyes. Pointing at the central column with a commanding finger, she narrowed her eyes.

"You," she said to the TARDIS, "don't go anywhere," she turned to Jack, "you neither."

Jack's lips twitched even as the blonde turned and ran from the room, hoping to find the Time Lord.

"They got it bad," Jack sighed, patting the controls. A few lights gave a slightly smug flicker in response.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer** – Not mine (I wish). Though my brother says he's doing work experience at BBC Wales… :D

**F/O: **Hello! -waves- Nice to see you all again, and thank you for the wonderful reception! This chapter is especially (more so than usual :D ) dedicated to my reviewers, who I adore. If I could meet you in person, I would come bearing double chocolate chip cookies (or if you're on lent, some form of tasty fruity substitute). Especially especially **Laseri**, whose comment made me grin all day despite double Maths **and** double Latin. And **LilCosette**. And all you guys!

Continuing swiftly on then… (beware, nice fluffiness ahead. You are warned.)

* * *

Chapter 13

"Doctor!" Rose yelled, squinting through the pouring rain. Her hair was plastered to her head, her clothes were soaked, and rainwater was trickling down her neck. Blinking furiously to try to get the water out of her eyes, she turned, trying desperately to see him. The soft ground underneath her feet was slick and muddy, and the wind whipped around her, cooling the water on her skin. She shivered unconsciously, and raised a hand to her eyes, trying to shelter them from the elements.

"Doctor!"

Her yell seemed to stop several metres away from her, deadened by the rain and trees, and thrown back at her by the wind. Rose suddenly spotted half-filled in tracks leading away from her, and, stumbling, followed them as fast as she could. He could be anywhere - doing anything. Out here, anything could happen to him, and all she could think of was their argument.

There was still no sign of him. She halted and sighed, rubbing her arms, and she suddenly noticed she was shivering. Rose pushed all thought out of her mind except following the Doctor. For some reason, she just needed to be with him right now. And nothing could get in her way.

Suddenly, her mind seemed to calm, and her eyes fluttered shut. The only sound was her breathing, and the oddly comforting sound of her two hearts beating beneath her chest. There was a sense of enormous space, like time itself was stretching out in front of her. She felt more alone, but at peace than she had ever felt in her life.

But wait, she wasn't alone. Something else was here, in this place that fairly rang with the echoes of long lost minds. Rose reached out for it, opened her eyes, and followed its signal, her feet pounding the ground with new energy.

* * *

Water trickled down the already-wet leather in a constant stream, dripping onto the shoulders of the old jacket from his ears. Droplets circled the cuffs at his sides, dropping to the ground or sliding along the rest of the jacket to soak into his trousers. Already, the downpour was soaking through the cracked hide, through his thin jumper and onto his skin, but he didn't feel the cold. He didn't feel anything. Besides, Gallifreyans were hardier when faced with extremes of hot and cold. He didn't even feel the heavy raindrops falling onto his head and soaking into his short hair, sliding over his face like tears.

His eyes were open, blue-green-grey, though you might not have thought it. He was staring, just staring into the lake, and seeming mesmerised by the droplets as they splattered into the shallows. He knew he should be moving, heading to the city to get that damned device as soon as possible, but everything held him back.

Maybe those raindrops weren't just rain….

Salt water dripped over his lips, but still he didn't move. His mind was full of Rose.

Her little grin, the tongue slipping between her teeth, her eyes lighting up; dancing with her, feeling like he was on fire, and cherishing this closeness with her; seeing her face again, alive despite the Daleks' warnings… her white face as she fainted, the pain in her eyes as her headaches worsened and she tried to not throw up, the anger in her eyes as they argued…

He couldn't let her do this.

It was stupid. Beyond stupid. He knew what he'd agreed to – what he'd said, but turning into another species, another race - it wasn't natural. And if he let her do this, she would be like him, and, he ashamedly admitted to himself, she would understand more about him than anyone else, even Romana. He would no longer be the last of the Time Lords. But he would irrevocably split her from her family.

Imagine learning that your perfectly human daughter was suddenly now a member of a nearly immortal race, with telepathic and time abilities, among others. And the first regeneration, he could just imagine her, Rose ordering him to take her back, to see her mum, and how that would tear her apart. How it would tear him apart.

It took him a while to register the footsteps, but when he did, he turned, suddenly on his guard. Rose slowed to a walk, her face framed by wet hair, her thin jacket barely covering her arms.

"You should go back to the TARDIS," he said, feeling strange. The argument had left a gap between them, but he felt so close to her despite that, and had to fight strongly with himself to not run over there and kiss her senseless.

…Wait, where had that thought come from?

"I wanted to find you," she replied, stopping a short distance from him. They stood in silence for a few seconds, not sure what to say, or even if they wanted to break the silence at all. Finally, the Doctor snapped out of it, and noticed for the first time that she was shivering quite violently.

Whipping off his jacket, he strode over to her and flung it around her freezing shoulders, water droplets flying off in the quick movement. He pulled it tightly around her, and she grasped the front, holding it shut, relishing the slight lingering body warmth. He briskly rubbed her arms to try to get the blood circulating faster, his eyes never leaving her face.

"You'll catch cold running around out here," he said softly, a hint of reproach in his voice. She grinned weakly, but her brown eyes were serious.

"I'm sorry for shouting."

"Me too," he replied.

"I still mean what I said," she said carefully, studying his features. "But I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You could never really hurt me," he replied tenderly, taking her cold hands in his and stroking them softly, transferring his warmth into her.

"Doctor…" Rose began, then stopped. She licked her lips nervously, then stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips gingerly against his in one swift movement.

Taken by surprise, the Doctor barely had time to register the softness of her lips and the ghostly feeling of her breath against his skin, before she had stepped back, looking lost and small in his overlarge coat.

"Sorry. I- sorry."

For a split second, he remembered a moment in his distant past – being told by his father why inter-species relationships weren't allowed. His father's grey eyes fixed forever in his memory, burning into him…

Then he disregarded it (as he had the laws of obeying the Time Lord council not many years later), and closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he reached down to kiss her back.

They stood there, in the rain for a long time after they broke off the kiss, the Doctor sheltering Rose's small figure with his own body, his head resting on her shoulder, listening to each other breathe, and the double heartbeats that were characteristic of Gallifreyans. And the rain fell, but they didn't hear it.


	14. Chapter 14

**F/O:** Well here it is guys, for better or for worse, it's over. –_sniffs_- I have so seriously enjoyed writing this (though I must admit, at some point I think I'll succumb to the urge of re-editing it, perfectionist that I am, if I ever get past the hordes I want to write…). The last chapter. There were times I thought I'd never get here, and now I am, I feel all teary-eyed… or is that the sad fic I just finished reading :D Here marks the end of the story. Though, if you ask nicely, and the GCSE's go well, there may be room for an ity-bity sequel…  
And on that note, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 14**

When they got back to the TARDIS (the piece of medical equipment forgotten), Jack looked up as they entered, soaked to the skin, and grinned.

"You took your sweet time," he noted suggestively. Rose and the Doctor ignored him, but the ex-Time Agent couldn't ignore (at least with his track record and experience) the way their hands were clasped, his jacket once again over her shoulders, and the slightly doe-eyed glances they were giving each other.

Storing up the ammunition for another date, he stood back so the Doctor could access his controls and hugged the sopping-wet Rose.

"Congrats," he whispered into her ear, smirking at her startled look.

"That obvious?" she whispered back. He wouldn't reply, but only continued to smirk. She punched his arm lightly.

"Rose?" the Doctor called, interrupting the moment. "Grab that switch, would you? The one next to the Spatial Stabiliser…"

"You mean the bicycle pump," Rose teased, taking up her position. The Doctor mock-glared in return, but a grin lingered around his lips that defied the attempted expression.

"Jack, what are you doing over there? Come on – I need you to calibrate the time differentials!"

"Yessir!" Jack pulled a crisp salute as he bounded over, aided by the sudden lurch of the time ship.

"Oops," the Doctor supplied, pulling them back upright with a series of switches. "Nearly there…"

With one almighty movement, he slammed his hand down on a big red button near the centre of the controls. Wheezing, the rotator rose and shuddered back down, before getting into the movement, and Rose felt her stomach leap as they left the wet planet.

As soon as they had left the time and space orbit, the three relaxed.

"Right, I'm off to get out of these," Rose called, gesturing to her sodden clothes. She shrugged off the Doctor's jacket and tossed it across to him, leaving a trail of sparkling raindrops as they flew off the partially water-resistant material.

"Oi, mind where you're getting that water!" he called back, and she grinned.

* * *

In her rooms, Rose dropped her sodden clothes into a pile while she undressed, thinking she would run them into the TARDIS washing machine later. After a brief shower, she dried off her hair and brushed it, dressing simply from her own wardrobe. The feel of the Doctor's lips on hers was still hanging ghostly in her thoughts, and her smile was testimony to her inner happiness.

Suddenly, she stopped. The towel she had been drying her hair with dropped from her fingers. The entire room seemed to buckle – or was that her legs? – and she quickly made for the bed, managing to drop to it.

Her balance was completely out, but she just managed to glance at her hand, where, trick of her imagination or not, a thousand lights seemed to swirl and coalesce.

Confused and not a little terrified, she felt her twin hearts rush blood around her body, pounding in her ears, there was that strange preternatural sense of time distorting, her vision was whirling…

Just before she lost herself to the eddying world that threatened to overcome her, she desperately threw out a mental thought.

_Doctor!

* * *

_

The Doctor was humming under his breath (for once, not tunelessly) a rendition of 'Bohemian Rhapsody', and blindly ignoring Jack's knowing glances in his direction. If he wanted to hum happily, who was the Time Agent turned conman to tell him otherwise? So what if he had a sillier grin than usual sporting on his face?

_Doctor!_

He froze. His fingers dropped the sonic screwdriver to the floor, where it fell with a clatter, drawing Jack's attention.

"Doc?"

"Rose," the Time Lord breathed, before abandoning his task and rushing out.

Not having had the mental call, Jack followed him, mystified. His worries were not helped by the mad dash of the Doctor, but he was healthy, and managed to keep up quite well, not surprised when they stopped at Rose's bedroom.

He didn't bother to knock – just threw the door open and stopped.

Rose lay sprawled on the bed, her blonde hair still slightly damp against the soft covers and her eyes shut.

"Rose!" Jack called instinctively, stopping just behind the Time Lord.

She didn't respond. The Doctor glanced across her, taking in the slight mottling to her skin – no, wait… Lights, dancing under her skin. Nanogenes.

He held out his hand to stop Jack from coming any closer forwards, knowing the human couldn't see the strange eddying whirls of shifting Time that surrounded Rose. It was dangerous enough to him as it was.

"Stay back," he ordered, throwing all his persuasion and command into those two words. Without waiting to see their affect, he entered the room carefully, forcing the Time strands to weave around him.

One step. Two steps.

Rose looked almost peaceful – practically angelic with her hair fanning out and the illumination of her skin making her glow.

"Rose?" he asked softly, approaching as quickly as he dared.

Rose opened her eyes. The usual soft brown was a confliction of emotions and thoughts – flecks of pain and understanding, swirls of joy and hope, timeless knowledge.

"Doctor?" she breathed, focusing on his face. Then, gracefully, she closed her eyes and relaxed.

One hand was reaching slowly out to her, but before he could touch her, she became a blaze of light. Wincing and shielding his eyes, he blinked away the dazzle and after-images, waiting for it to clear.

The air was filled with the tension he'd come to recognise amongst his peers and the non-taste on his tongue of a regeneration. With fear, he suddenly realised what this meant. This was the end – the final transformation. No turning back.

There was a rushing of non-existent wind and the light faded. Blinking, his eyes watering desperately, the Doctor forced himself to see Rose, or what she had become. His heart constricted as his vision focused and a million nightmarish ideas threw themselves in his face.

Was she alive? Was she still Rose? What had he done to this young human girl?

But when he could finally see, she was still young, still blonde, and judging by her open eyes, still alive. He almost fell forwards, coming to the edge of the bed.

"Rose?" he asked for what felt like the millionth time, trying to reassure himself with the familiarity of her name.

"Doctor? What-?"

"It's alright," he comforted, not sure what he should say. He sat down on the edge of the bed and gathered her into his arms. She didn't resist.

"I feel…"

"It's alright," the Doctor repeated, kissing her hair softly. "It's over."

There was a pause.

"Then I'm…?"

"…Yes," he sighed and held her closer.

"It's so lonely."

He smiled sadly, his eyes feeling suspiciously stung. "I know."

"I could see everything – I could see them die," Rose muttered, her voice thick. "They all looked so terrified."

He tensed, fighting back his own remembrances.

"I am so, so sorry," she said, leaning back so she could reach up to stroke his cheek. "I never understood…"

"You have nothing to apologise for," he replied, his voice thick.

They remained silent for a few minutes, though Jack still at the door felt himself burn with questions, not least of which was concern for Rose.

"There's no going back."

Her voice surprisingly accepting and strong, the words seemed to fall into the void.

"Only forwards," the Doctor agreed. "Are you sure-?"

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Rose replied with a hint of a smile. "Thank you."

With tenderness, she reached up and kissed the nearest part of his face she could reach – his neck. He smiled slightly at the odd gesture, and pecked her nose in return.

"I'll, um, I'll just go and…" Jack trailed off, gesturing vaguely into the corridor, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"No, it's alright Jack – we'll stop flirting for now," Rose told him with a grin. Extracting herself from the Doctor's arms, she stood and pulled him up as well. She stretched, before walking over the Time Agent and enveloping him in a hug.

"Good to see you're OK," he muttered, kissing her forehead tenderly before releasing her.

"Me too," she laughed slightly. "I feel weird though – wired, like I could run for miles."

"I have a swimming pool," the Doctor offered, closing the distance between them. "It's probably just post-regeneration energy, combined with the different sleep patterns we Time Lords have compared to humans."

"Hmm, I could live with this," Rose replied, her tongue between her teeth. She frowned however. "What's regeneration?"

The Doctor sighed. "A long story."

"Everything with you is a long story," Rose pointed out, unwilling to let go of her good humour. "Simplify it."

"Basically, it's when we 'die', so to speak. We have this trick – sort of a way of cheating death really. When our bodies die, we turn into someone else, someone new, with the same basic personality, memories and stuff, but different characteristics. It's part of why we live so long – each Time Lord has thirteen lives. I'm on my ninth, and judging by back there, you're on your second – maybe your first."

Rose just let the information settle in her mind for a moment and chewed it over. "So I get thirteen different bodies?"

The Doctor nodded.

"And I change appearance each time?"

"Yeah. Hey, I'll find the old photo albums if you like – one of my old friends, a journalist called Sarah Jane Smith put one together for me, and it kind of kept getting added to," the Doctor offered.

"And you can explain why one of the jackets in the wardrobe has celery in the pocket," Jack chimed in. The Doctor shot him a curious look, then laughed.

"Now that would be telling," he replied, grinning.

"If we're being nostalgic, you can tell us what 'Oncoming Storm' means," Rose commented as they wandered out of her room.

The Doctor shot her a quick look. "Where did you hear that?"

"'Oncoming Storm'?" Jack asked, oblivious of the question, an odd note in his voice. "Where have I heard that before…?"


End file.
